Mauricio Pochettino remains Manchester United’s first choice to be their next permanent manager, according to Henry Winter.
Writing in the Times newspaper, the long-standing football correspondent is “still considered the favourite” of the United hierarchy despite the remarkable impact made by caretaker Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Premier League giants have won all eight of the Norwegian’s matches in charge after knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 triumph at Emirates Stadium on Friday night.
OPINION
If Solskjaer continues to do with a Man United squad what was completely beyond Jose Mourinho, his claim to be appointed permanent manager of one of Europe’s biggest clubs will be irresistible. Credit to the Norwegian for turning around fortunes and the mood at Old Trafford, and for putting the smiles back on the faces of supporters and players. But, there are a few caveats to giving the immensely popular 45-year-old the job full-time. He is not under the same pressure at the moment as he would be as permanent boss, and can he really be judged until United start suffering a few blips and struggle, as they inevitably will. Would Solskjaer be a superior appointment to Pochettino, who has a track record at Tottenham and former clubs Southampton and Espanyol that makes him one of Europe’s outstanding managers? The Norwegian might be the right man at the right time, but that doesn’t mean he will remain the right man.