Wrong for Man Utd to sack Solskjaer and replace him with Conte – Neville

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has backed his former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Neville, speaking after Manchester United were trashed 5-0 by Liverpool at Old Trafford says Ole should be giving more time.

‘I think the club will hold their nerve, I don’t think they’ve planned for a new manager this season,’ Neville told Sky Sports.

‘I think they’ll get to the end of the season and stick with Ole until the end of the season.

‘I know there will be a massive outcry from fans, from the media, from everybody, that Ole Gunar Solskjaer should be sacked, and I can understand that after that game, it’s nowhere near good enough. It was a monstrously bad day and it takes some recovery.

‘I think this club is a lot more stable in terms of the ownership.’

The former United captain further explains why another ‘hitman’ will not be the solution pointing to Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.

‘I’ve seen Jose Mourinho come into this club and Louis van Gaal and been wholly disappointed.

‘The reason the board will stay stable and go at least until the end of the season [with Solskjaer] is because of what happened with Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.

‘They won’t bring a hitman in again. A hitman who comes in and does a job for two years.

‘They’re not going to do that at the club again. They’re going to stick with Ole until the end of the season, Ole’s got to win a trophy this season, I think they’ll stick with him until the end of the season but this is painful.

‘My point is Jose Mourinho was the best manager in the world when he came to Manchester United and he didn’t do it here.’

Despite Ole’s failure to either improve the team or win a title, Neville believes bringing a winner like Conte isn’t the way forward for United.

‘Conte’s available but I wouldn’t bring him to Manchester United. I wouldn’t bring him here now, I wouldn’t.

‘I don’t think Antonio Conte is a fit for Manchester United. I don’t think he’s a fit.

‘I might be wrong, they might bring him here tomorrow and I’d get behind him.

‘We’ve seen a coach with a specific style like Louis Van Gaal didn’t work here. I’m not saying there isn’t a manager who can come to Manchester United and do well.

‘And one day if Ole isn’t here, I hope it happens. But today, I personally think it would be wrong to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

‘I sacked a manager last season after six games. It was the wrong thing to do and I should have let it breathe. I should have waited until the end of the season and I think that’s what Manchester United will do.’