"Ole will forever be a legend at Manchester United and it is with regret that we have made this difficult decision," the club wrote in a statement.

The "Super-Sub" (super-substitute) has not withstood the degradation of his team's game since mid-September, which culminated in the humiliating defeat (5-0) at Old Trafford against historic rival Liverpool , on October 24th.

Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah scores the 5th goal against Manchester United on Matchday 9 of the Premier League on October 24, 2021 at Old Trafford Stadium Oli SCARFF AFP / Archives

A cataclysmic performance that had highlighted the lack of gameplay after two and a half seasons in the position of the "Super-Sub", a nickname he had won by scoring 28 of his 126 goals with Manchester out of the bench, a record at the time (1996-2007).

United said "all the hard work has been done over the past three years to rebuild the foundations for long-term success," but the progress has become a sham.

A humiliating setback (4-1) Saturday, at the modest Watford, 17th before this match, will have been too much disappointment, relegating the Red Devils to 7th place, 12 points behind the leader, Chelsea, after 12 days.

His assistant Michael Carrick, also a former club, will take over, while the club is currently looking for a coach to finish the season.

Norwegian Manchester Unite coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (r) and deputy Michael Carrick in the Premier League match against West Ham on September 19, 2021 at London Stadium Ian KINGTON AFP / Archives

According to the English press, the Mancunian club would seek to convince Zinedine Zidane to succeed him.

Before this season, however, his team seemed to be on an upward slope overall.

Solskjaer arrived at the end of 2018 to succeed José Mourinho, while the atmosphere within the team was appalling, the players drained and demobilized.

Norwegian Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poses with the club scarf after officially signing a 3-year contract on March 28, 2019 at Old Trafford Stadium Oli SCARFF AFP / Archives

Recurring doubts

His debut with a bang, with 14 games unbeaten, convinced management to confirm him in his post in March, before a failed end to the season that brought the team back to 6th place where he had found it.

A news greeted with skepticism in the face of his lack of references: after having studied with the Mancunian reserve, he had coached the Norwegian club Molde twice, before and after a failed experience in Cardiff in 2014.

His affable character also stood out against the men of character associated with the history of "MU", such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho on the bench or Eric Cantona and Roy Keane on the field.

But after all, his recruitment as a player had also surprised and that did not prevent him from scoring the decisive goal in the stunning 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich (2-1).

Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the winning goal, 2-1 against Bayern Munich, in the Champions League final on May 26, 1999 at Camp Nou in Barcelona Eric CABANIS AFP / Archives

A pledge of "identity" given by management to supporters, Solskjaer pacified the club, restored the group's confidence but missed the last step, the only one that matters: the titles.

His entry into the matter will have finally been revealing of his reign: a progression by fits, made of encouraging series, undermined by others more negative, which rekindled doubts.

Indisputable human qualities

There were 19 unbeaten matches, between March and July 2020, which allowed United to climb to the podium (3rd), and another unbeaten streak of 14 Premier League matches last season, to finish second in City and C3 finalist.

Thanks to his indisputable human qualities, Solskjaer has managed better than anyone in Manchester the unpredictable Paul Pogba, while hatching the emergence or confirmation of young people from the training center like Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood.

Norwegian Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with French midfielder Paul Pogba following the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup 4th round on 24 January 2021 at Stade d 'Old Trafford Laurence Griffiths POOL / AFP / Archives

After turning his team into a formidable countering machine, the Norwegian hoped to revive the dominating Manchester United of the Ferguson years.

With Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan Bissaka, Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho, Raphaël Varane, and, obviously, Cristiano Ronaldo, the investments followed, even if the consistency of this recruitment is questionable.

Norwegian Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer congratulates Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice, in the 4-1 win over Newcastle, counting for Matchday 4 of the Premier League, on 11 September 2021 at Old Trafford Stadium Oli SCARFF AFP / Archives

It had even been extended until 2024 last summer with the mission of competing with Chelsea, City or Liverpool in the league.

But, of title, there is already no question, and the qualification in C1, in a hen which seemed within their reach, remains uncertain.

Solskjaer lived on borrowed time for several weeks, saved by the lack of a credible replacement, and a few more points might have kept him in office until this summer.

But his credit has run out with the last listless matches of his side, who seem to have given up, and management has shown the way out to the Super-Sub.

© 2021 AFP