Pressure builds on Solskjaer after Champions League defeat with ex-Chelsea boss circling

Manchester United’s season took a turn for the worse on Tuesday evening, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side succumbed to their first defeat of the campaign, losing 2-1 to Young Boys in Switzerland. 

Despite going ahead through Cristiano Ronaldo’s first European goal for the club in 12 years, a red card for Aaron Wan-Bissaka changed the Red Devils’ fortunes and a 95th minute winner gave the hosts all three points.

The result sees pressure creep back in on Solskjaer, who had lifted the pressure on his shoulders over the summer with the signings of Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo.

Conte guided Inter to the Serie A title last season but left the club over the summer

After a trophy-less three seasons in Manchester, speculation built last seasons surrounding the future of Solskjaer, with rumours that he would be sacked following United’s Europa League final defeat to Villarreal circulating.

Now, it appears that those rumours are spreading once again.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte ‘would accept’ an approach from United to replace Solskjaer.

The report suggests that Conte, who guided the Blues to their fifth Premier League title in 2017, would ‘only accept a winning project’.

The Italian rejected an offer from Tottenham Hotspur over the summer, and Di Marzio also believes that the former Inter Milan manager would also reject Arsenal, if they were to sack Mikel Arteta and approach him.

Conte had an instant impact when he arrived in London and took charge of Chelsea, guiding them from a tenth-placed finish the season before to a title-winning season, and the Italian followed that up the following year by winning the FA Cup.

While it is not yet known whether or not Solskjaer’s future is in serious doubt, it appears that United will not be short of potential suitors if they did decide to get rid of the Norwegian.