Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Says He Does Not Need Assurances over Manchester United Job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is confident he has a long-term future as Manchester United manager and does not need assurance from the club's hierarchy.

The Norwegian has overseen United's worst start to a Premier League season in 2019-20, and the club's form since he was appointed permanently in March is abysmal:

There have been reports the former United striker will find himself under huge pressure if, as expected, his side lose to table-topping Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Speaking to former team-mate Gary Neville in an interview with Sky Sports before facing their bitter rivals, Solskjaer said he is confident in his position:

"All the talks I've had with the owners, with Ed Woodward and the club have been about me having a three-year contract. 

"We're planning long-term. I've been given the job, and if you lose a game or two, you don't wait for a call to be given assurances.

"But we started out with a plan and a recruitment plan is in place. I'm 100 per cent sure from my time here that the structure is right because it is always the manager who has the final say."

Solskjaer's spell as interim United boss after he succeeded Jose Mourinho in December was superb.

He oversaw 14 wins in his first 17 games in charge, and United began to play a more attacking brand of football, with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba thriving:

Since his position was made permanent, though, the Red Devils have been wholly uninspiring in the main, and the major concern this season has been a paucity of goals.

United beat Chelsea 4-0 at home on the opening weekend of the season, but they have since scored just five goals in seven league games—and two in their past four:

As well as all their top-six rivals, they have been outscored this season by Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Burnley, West Ham United and Norwich City.

Selling Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan in the summer is looking like an increasingly foolish move because it left United without a proper No. 9 in their squad.

The club's failure to bolster the midfield after the departures of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera has also left United embarrassingly short in their engine room.

Solskjaer told Neville that there are funds available for United to strengthen in January if need be:

"The money is there. We've been looking at players and we were close to a couple [in the summer] but it's not right if you don't get the right players. The money is there to strengthen in January and in the summer.

"We're planning and we're looking. We're refining our targets, but just before the summer transfer window ended, the ready-made players weren't there. But the resources are there if the right players are available."

There is no guarantee that bringing in new players will solve United's problems, though. In fact, one of the striking features of United's demise since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013 has been their inability to spend money effectively.

The 10 most expensive players in the club's history—Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire, Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fred, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Victor Lindelof—were all signed after the legendary Scotsman's retirement.

Aside from Maguire and Wan-Bissaka, who have not been at the club long enough to be properly assessed, arguably not a single one has justified his transfer fee.