Manchester United have sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a day after a 4-1 defeat by promoted Watford left the Old Trafford club seventh in the Premier League.
Former player Michael Carrick, a member of Solskjaer's coaching staff, will take charge of the United team for the Champions League match away to Villarreal, with the club saying it will then appoint an interim manager to lead the side until the end of the season.
In July, Norwegian Solskjaer, 48, signed a three-year contract extension until 2024, but he was dismissed, after United lost five of their last seven league games, including defeats by Aston Villa, Leicester City, Liverpool and Manchester City.
"Manchester United announces that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left his role as manager," the club says. "Ole will always be a legend at Manchester United and it is with regret that we have reached this difficult decision.
"While the past few weeks have been disappointing, they should not obscure all the work he has done over the past three years to rebuild the foundations for long-term success."
Solskjaer played for United as a striker from 1996-2007, scoring the stoppage-time winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich to ensure he would always hold a special place in club history.
That Barcelona triumph completed an unprecedented treble of major trophies for United in the 1998/99 season and Solskjaer netted 91 goals in 235 Premier League appearances for the club, many off the substitutes bench.
United have not won the Premier League since Alex Ferguson's last season in charge in 2013, when he led them to the title for the 13th time in his reign at Old Trafford.
The club signed Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo in August, but after a good start to the campaign, they have slipped to seventh in the standings after 12 games, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.
MIXED TENURE
Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018, initially on an interim basis, but after guiding United to 14 wins in 19 matches in all competitions, he was given the job permanently in March 2019.
United showed signs of progress to finish third and second in the league in Solskjaer's first full seasons in charge, but their form has imploded in this campaign.
A 4-2 defeat at Leicester City on October 16 was followed by a humiliating 5-0 hammering at home by arch-rivals Liverpool and although a 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur raised the possibility of a revival, United's last two displays sealed Solskjaer's fate.
A 2-0 home loss to champions Manchester City was hardly a shock, but they were utterly outclassed by Pep Guardiola's side, who toyed with United throughout the game.
The shambolic 4-1 defeat by lowly Watford left United's board with little choice, but to make a change.
The club's hierarchy - including owner Joel Glazer and outgoing executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward - have long faced fan opposition and the unusual decision to make Carrick a "pre-interim" manager will raise eyebrows.
Clubs usually place a member of the coaching staff in temporary charge, while they search for a new permanent boss, but don't announce they are looking for an interim short-term manager as their next appointment.
Bookmakers have installed former Real Madrid coach and France midfielder Zinedine Zidane as favourite to be the next permanent manager of the club.
Reuters
