Shearer on Solskjaer Shuffle: Could United’s Interim Return Spin Them Back into the Mire?
9 January 2026
Context and stakes
Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, says handing Manchester United’s interim manager role to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be "very strange," noting the club sacked him for a clear reason.
Solskjaer, who managed United from 2018 to 2021, is reportedly in a two‑man race with Michael Carrick to take the interim post at Old Trafford until the season ends. Sources say both men have held discussions with the chief executive and the football director, with a final call expected after direct talks.
The players, the talks, and the plan
Darren Fletcher, who temporarily led the side in a 2-2 draw with Burnley midweek, is also lined up to take charge for the Brighton game on Sunday.
Although a Solskjaer reunion might carry emotional appeal, Shearer is not convinced. He is quoted as saying such a move would be unusual and that the club once acted for a clear reason when they dismissed him.
Reports cite that Solskjaer and Carrick have both met with club chiefs Omar Al-Rabada and Jaison Wilcox to hash out a plan, with the final decision contingent on more direct conversations with both candidates.
From a standpoint of pragmatism, the piece argues that if the interim boss somehow succeeds, United must tread carefully to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Shearer adds that big names could be available in the upcoming summer window—perhaps including a top coach like Thomas Tuchel depending on England’s World Cup situation, or Carlo Ancelotti depending on Brazil’s setup—and stresses the importance of a steady, authoritative figure who can lead without micromanagement.
“C break the cycle by hiring a strong, influential figure and letting them do their job,” the article notes. It compares United’s structure with top clubs—Villa, City, and Arsenal—where decision‑makers allow their managers to drive the project while football chiefs provide support and alignment.
Ultimately, Solskjaer emerged as a candidate on Tuesday after his impressive temporary stint replacing Jose Mourinho in December 2018, which kept him in the frame for nearly three years. The twist: Carrick had filled in for three games after Solskjaer’s November 2021 exit, underscoring the fragile balance between nostalgia and necessity in United’s decision making.
