Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in contention for the interim manager's job at Manchester United which eventually went to Michael Carrick
Besiktas coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is seen during the game between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Besiktas J.K. in Krakow, Poland, on July 31, 2025, during the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round, second leg match at Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is back in England this week(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was tipped for an Old Trafford comeback as interim manager, only to miss out to Michael Carrick. Now, as Carrick celebrates back-to-back wins, Solskjaer faces a different challenge entirely.
United's managerial choice has already paid dividends, with Carrick securing Premier League victories over Manchester City and Arsenal. Solskjaer has remained unemployed since departing Besiktas earlier this campaign but will be monitoring one of his former club's Premier League rivals very closely this week.
The Norwegian is a UEFA technical observer for the Champions League this season, one of more than 20 footballing figures to hold the responsibility. His role will bring him back to England this week, with Solskjaer set to attend Liverpool's home fixture against Qarabag in a professional capacity.
He'll be observing another manager under scrutiny, with Liverpool boss Arne Slot coming off a punishing weekend loss at Bournemouth which allowed United to leapfrog them into the top four in the league. It's a different story for the Merseyside outfit in European competition, however, where victory would guarantee a top-eight finish in the Champions League standings and ensure they don't have to go through an additional play-off round.
*FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE!Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page*
Solskjaer isn't the only familiar face to have been appointed by UEFA for the technical observer position. Ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is also on the list, as are former England manager Gareth Southgate and Portugal's current head coach Roberto Martinez.
"Instead of just watching the game for a specific reason – in my capacity as a national-team coach – you are watching it in a more holistic way and appreciating the development of the game and the competition itself," Martinez explained regarding the position. "It could be different types of performance – from young players, for example – or the way the competition is getting tougher physically and cuter tactically with the new trends within the competition."
Arne Slot speaking after Bournemouth vs Liverpool
Solskjaer will be watching an under-pressure Arne Slot at Liverpool(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
According to UEFA's explanation: "During each game, the designated UEFA Technical Observer collaborates with UEFA's Performance Analysis team to gather video and data. The UEFA Technical Observers receive footage from various angles, including broadcast, tactical and high-behind views, which they can review either live at the stadium or remotely."
Each observer is additionally responsible for choosing the player of the match for every fixture they oversee, whilst the collective will convene to decide the player, young player, team and goal of the campaign. The player of the season award has been in place since the 2021/22 season, with Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele winning last term.
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.