Who could replace Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Old Trafford? Manchester United fans demand sacking following derby day defeat

Supporters were already desperate to see the back of Ole Gunnar Solskjær after their humiliating 5-0 defeat to Liverpool last month, however the former Red Devils forward remained in charge as they hosted fierce rivals Manchester City on Saturday.

They were left disappointed once again as Pep Guardiola’s team came out 2-0 winners in a match that saw the visitors claim 68 per cent possession, while Manchester United had only one shot on target the whole game.

The pressure is mounting on Ole Gunnar Solskjær to turn this season around before he is forced out of the door and while it looks like Ed Woodward is doing anything he can to avoid sacking the Norwegian before his own departure from Old Trafford, fans have spent weeks speculating over who they would like to see come in and take charge of their struggling club.

Here are some of the favourites to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjær if he is sacked by Manchester United...

Brendan Rodgers

According to Sky Bet, Brendan Rodgers is currently the favourite to be the next permanent Manchester United manager at 11/10.

Rodgers has enjoyed plenty of success since he arrived at Leicester City in 2019 - winning the FA Cup and Community Shield last season and also qualifying for the Europa League.

The 48-year-old also won two Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups during his time with Celtic.

Rodgers has previously rejected moves elsewhere, however the Foxes have endured a difficult start to the 2021/22 campaign - could he be persuaded by a new adventure? Would Manchester United fans approve of Rodgers - ex-Liverpool boss - taking the reins?

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane has been mentioned as potential successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjær for months, however he has previously made it clear that he isn’t interested in the job.

He is certainly a perfect candidate in the eyes of many Manchester United fans and they will now be delighted to hear that, according to El Espanol, the Frenchman declined the chance to manage Newcastle because the United job, as well as France, is in his sights.

The 49-year-old has been out of work since his departure from Real Madrid in May, however he enjoyed two superb spells managing Los Blancos - winning two La Liga titles, two Supercopa de Espana, three Champions League trophies, two UEFA Super Cups and one Club World Cup.

Ralf Rangnick

According to Bild journalist Christian Falk, Ralf Rangnick is keen on becoming Manchester United manager if Ole Gunnar Solskjær leaves.

Rangnick is a distinguished figure within German football, with the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann crediting the 63-year-old as a major influence on their coaching careers.

Rangnick has previously managed RB Leipzig, Schalke and other German clubs and has also been director of football for both Red Bull Salzburg and Leipzig.

The former midfielder is currently Head of Sports and Development at FC Lokomotiv Moscow.

Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur, however has since ended up with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Argentine enjoyed was brilliant for Spurs, helping them reach the Champions League final in 2019. The club’s form since Pochettino departed only shows how important he was to their form.

However, Pochettino hasn’t enjoyed quite as much success since his move to PSG, missing out on the Ligue 1 title for only their second time in nine years.

It was reported in the summer that the 49-year-old had told the French club that he wanted to leave - could he be tempted by a return to the Premier League?

Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has enjoyed great success since he became manager of Ajax in 2017.

The Dutch club have won the Eredivise under ten Hag twice and knocked Real Madrid and Juventus out of the Champions League to reach the semi-final in 2018/19.

The Dutchman has managed the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Frenkie de Jong, Mattijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek - with the latter currently struggling under Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

The former Twente defender could be a brilliant capture by the Red Devils, but it is unclear whether he would leave his homeland and success with Ajax to take up an extremely risky and pressurising job at Old Trafford.