Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly spoken to Manchester United over a possible return as the club's interim manager, which would bring back some fond memories for Liverpool fans
James Findlater Content Editor
16:58, 06 Jan 2026
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks on during his time in charge of Besiktas
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly been contacted over a possible return to Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool fans will no doubt be taking great joy in the current state of Manchester United, and news that a familiar face could be returning to Old Trafford will only delight them further.
Of course, the Reds have plenty of problems of their own at the moment, with Arne Slot’s players a long way off the form they showed during last season’s Premier League title triumph as their sights are now set on just securing a top-four finish.
Their main rivals for a place in the Champions League seem to be imploding though, with both Chelsea and United having dismissed their managers recently after both Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim seemed to take aim at their own clubs.
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The latter leaves United having accrued the worst record of any permanent boss at the club, and Liverpool’s biggest rival does appear to be at panic stations now, with Darren Fletcher set to take over for the next couple of games before an interim manager is appointed until the end of the season.
According to Sky Sports and other outlets, Solskjaer and Michael Carrick have been contacted over the temporary position, as well as Fletcher, with the former potentially in line for a return to the Old Trafford hot seat, having spent nearly three years in charge from 2018 to 2021.
Liverpool supporters will of course remember how that spell ended. The Reds effectively brought about the beginning of the end of Solskjaer’s time in charge when they inflicted a 5-0 defeat on their rivals at Old Trafford - a game which saw the visitors go 4-0 before half-time, a Mohamed Salah hat-trick, and Paul Pogba sent off just 15 minutes after being introduced from the bench.
Liverpool, inspired by Mohamed Salah, destroyed Manchester United on their last visit to Old Trafford.
Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick as Liverpool inflicted a 5-0 defeat on Manchester United in one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last games in charge(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images.)
It was United’s worst result against Liverpool in almost a century, and a downtrodden Solskjaer couldn't mask his feelings after the game.
"It's not easy to say something, apart from it's the darkest day I've had leading these players,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports immediately afterward.
"We weren't good enough individually or as a team. You can't give a team like Liverpool those chances and unfortunately, we did.
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"The whole performance wasn't good enough, that's for sure. We have created openings, they have had chances, they have been clinical, and we did not take our chances early on. Then the third goal is the one that decided the game.
"It's mine [responsibly for the loss] - that's it. The coaching staff are brilliant, and I choose the way we approach the game, and today, we weren't clinical enough going forward. There were spaces for both teams, and when you give good players spaces, they score.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watches on during Liverpool's 5-0 win over Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watches on during Liverpool's 5-0 win over Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
"You can look back at last season when we lost 6-1 to Spurs - this is miles worse. The opposition as well, that makes it miles worse for me as a Manchester lad, and we have to get over this as quick as we can and move on."
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Of course, United never really moved on, and less than a month later, after a 4-1 defeat at Watford, Solskjaer was dismissed as manager.
Since then, the former striker has had just one job in management, having led Besiktas for just seven months before being fired by the Turkish club in August 2025. If he is now set for a return to United, don’t expect much sympathy from Liverpool’s supporters.