Solskjaer the victim of a ‘witch hunt’ – Neville defends Man Utd boss
Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville has hit out at what he perceives to be a “witch hunt” against manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Norwegian has found himself the subject of criticism following United’s shock Champions League exit following a 3-2 defeat against RB Leipzig on Tuesday.
Solskjaer elected to switch to a system that employed three centre-backs in that encounter, but his side were picked apart and it was not until changes were made that there was a response.
Neville, the manager of the England woman’s team at present, believes that the manager needs more backing, however.
"I think there is an awful narrative - the minute United lose a game it seems a disaster. It's not a disaster, it's a disappointment," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's ‘Football Daily Podcast’.
"There are United teams in the past with better managers than Ole that have gone out at this stage and there are managers in the league that are below United that don't get the same stick that Ole gets.
"The narrative inside the club is far different from outside where there seems to be a total witch-hunt to get this boy out of a job."
Solskjaer has been in charge of the Old Trafford side for close to three years but has struggled to get the best out of the team, despite a third-place finish in the Premier League last term.
Indeed, during his tenure, the Red Devils have failed to win a single major honour.
Neville was a long-time team-mate of Solskjaer at United, where he played 263 Premier League matches between 1994 and 2005. Solskjaer arrived at the club two years later and would also depart a couple of years after the former England man.