Sunday, November 21, 2021 at 4:55 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 17:01

The day after the resignation of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the reactions are pouring in. Harry Maguire has thanked the fired manager via social media for services rendered, while Gary Neville gives the Norwegian a kick. The decision of Manchester United’s club management comes as no surprise to the analyst, as he saw Solskjaer’s team visit Watford for the umpteenth time on Saturday afternoon (4-1). “It was as if these players had never played together,” Neville said Sky Sports.

United were nowhere to be seen against Watford in the first half. Led by substitute Donny van de Beek, an attempt was made to turn the 2-0 deficit after the break, but United failed to do so. “If a manager can no longer get the most out of his players, and the results are bad, you just get fired,” Neville told the British broadcaster. “No one could have seen this coming when Cristiano Ronaldo was brought in. How is it possible that a team that made so much progress last year and finished second suddenly fell apart? It seemed on Saturday as if these players had never played together.”

According to Neville, it makes perfect sense that Solskjaer should now leave the field. United can be found in a disappointing seventh place in the Premier League and are also not yet assured of wintering in the Champions League. “I think he will be very disappointed that he has not been able to deliver the right performance this season,” Neville continued. “He expected more of it, we all did. Watford tore United apart on Saturday and I’m not surprised it’s over. In the past, Ole kept getting a result that pulled him out of the swamp, but now the results got worse and worse. And the game too.”

Michael Carrick must bridge the period in which United are looking for an interim manager, who must work at Old Trafford until the end of the season. Carrick was already working for Manchester United. Carrick, former midfielder of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, among others, has been active as an assistant at Old Trafford since the summer of 2018, initially alongside Jose Mourinho and later alongside Solskjaer. “Ole can’t complain. He has been given three years and has been supported in the transfer market. David Moyes was kicked out after eight months,” concludes Neville.