Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to former job after Man Utd snub with Norwegian manager to cast critical eye over under-fire Liverpool boss Arne Slot

Solskjaer has been part of UEFA's rotating cast of technical observer ever since he left United back in 2021. He also paused this gig during his 2025 stint in charge of Besiktas. Now, Solskjaer will return to his match-reporting duties, starting with Liverpool's Champions League match at home to Qarabag on Wednesday.

The Reds need a win to book an automatic spot in the last 16, and head coach Arne Slot is still facing calls for the sack amid their dire Premier League title defence.

UEFA tend to lean on experienced managers who aren't at a club for their technical observer roles, writing reports to be made public of how the game was played out and the tactical intricacies which stood out to them. Most recently, ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou gave a glowing review of his former rivals Arsenal having watched their 3-1 win at Inter last week.

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Solskjaer was hopeful of taking on the United job once again for the rest of the season and perhaps beyond, but the board went with more of a hands-on tactician in Carrick instead. He has lived up to the billing so far having delivered wins against the Premier League's top two, beating Manchester City 2-0 and then prevailing 3-2 away at Arsenal.

Prior to that victory at the Emirates Stadium, Carrick revealed he had been in contact with Solskjaer. "Yes, I've spoken to him," Carrick said. "We're close. We've been through a lot together, so he's been fully supportive as you would expect. He's some man and I respect him an awful lot. He wished us all the best and was happy that we got the right result."

Carrick added that Solskjaer is "there if ever I need him" but admits he is "not one that bothers a lot of people."

Carrick has taken two huge scalps on his return to the Old Trafford dugout, having gone three unbeaten in his 2021 stint as interim when Solskjaer was sacked. However, there is debate over whether he should get the United job in the long term, similar to how Solskjaer went from caretaker to permanent manager in 2019.

Roy Keane has said: "I think if United win every game from now until the end of the season, I still wouldn't be giving him the job. I just think they need a bigger, more experienced manager. Simple as that."

Gary Neville added: "I don’t believe he's the man to get Manchester United back winning league titles. I think it's right that Michael Carrick keeps the job until the end of the season and hands the baton over to a Thomas Tuchel or a Carlo Ancelotti, someone of world class ilk. That's what his job is now."

However, the duo's former team-mate, Rio Ferdinand, has hit out at those comments and called for more support in Carrick. "Michael Carrick's come in and turned the collar up on his long trench coat and said: 'Listen guys, get behind me, I'm gonna put you in a structure that's gonna actually suit the players that we have, we're gonna be hard to play against, we're gonna work hard, and we're gonna be a threat. And, by the way, guys, my first two games are Man City and Arsenal'.

"He's gone and got six points! And people are telling me that, no matter what Michael Carrick does, he shouldn't get the opportunity to manage Man United. Where the hell are you people coming from? The disrespect is unbelievable. For somebody to say, no matter what this person does, he doesn't deserve to be given the keys to Man United, on what grounds are you saying that? That's mad talk."