Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Says Molde Back Him to Become Permanent Man United Manager

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Molde have encouraged him in his bid to become the Manchester United manager on a full-time basis.

Solskjaer was managing the Norwegian outfit prior to taking over at Old Trafford in December following Jose Mourinho's departure. Should he fail to get the job on a permanent basis come the end of the campaign, he's expected to return to Molde.

However, after a brilliant start to life at United as manager, talk has started to gather pace that the 45-year-old will become the Red Devils boss on a long-term basis. Solskjaer told Sky Sports Molde are backing his efforts to secure his dream managerial role:

"When I rang the owner and said that United had called and that he always knew that this had been my dream, he said: 'Go over, enjoy yourself—and please don't come back'.

"Both owners wished me all the best because they knew this is something I dreamed about. To get the backing from them was fantastic. If I go back to Molde, I will do my best for them - but it depends when I go back."

Solskjaer added the only downside of being back at United is the fact that he does not get to see his family on a regular basis.

The Norwegian has had two stints in charge of Molde, sandwiching his forgettable tenure at Cardiff City. Under his guidance the team have twice won the national title and the Norwegian Football Cup in 2013.

It seems clear they understand just how big an opportunity this is for Solskjaer, though, and he's making an excellent case to be given the job on a long-term basis; nobody has ever enjoyed a better start to life in the Premier League as a coach:

There is still a long way to go in the campaign, although Solskjaer has made a tremendous pitch to be considered as the next United boss.

The team has earned big away wins at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and Arsenal in the FA Cup. Additionally, the side's key players are performing well under his guidance, and given his success at United as a player, there's an affinity between Solskjaer and the the supporters.

Even in the disappointing 2-2 draw against Burnley on Tuesday, journalist Daniel Harris found some positives in the way the Red Devils performed:

Despite Mourinho leading United to their worst-ever Premier League start, the purple patch triggered by Solskjaer's arrival has given fans hope something can be salvaged from this season.

Ahead of the trip to Leicester City on Sunday, United, in sixth, trail fourth-place Chelsea by five points with a game in hand; there is renewed hope of the team progressing in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League too. Solskjaer deserves an enormous amount of credit for injecting that belief back into the club.