Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has 'no doubt' Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will get Man Utd manager's job

David Lynch22 February 2019

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has unequivocally backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the role of permanent Manchester United manager.

The Norwegian has won 11, drawn one and lost one of his 13 games in charge since replacing Jose Mourinho on a caretaker basis in December.

Mourinho was sacked following a dreadful start to the season that culminated in a one-sided 3-1 defeat at Anfield that took the hosts to the top of the Premier League.

And, ahead of the two great rivals locking horns at Old Trafford this Sunday, Klopp expressed his belief that his opposite number has done more than enough to take the job full-time.

Asked if Solskjaer, who is believed to be competing with Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino for the role, has shown he belongs at the top level, Klopp replied: "Of course. That's clear.

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“We all needed luck in our managerial career. When I went from Mainz to Dortmund, people said I have no international experience.

“It was true, but it's not something you can buy or whatever. You have to make it.

“If Ole is not a former player of Man United then he would not have made a move from Norway to Manchester United - that's clear.

“But you get the chance and you have to use it. He showed everything what you need, together with his coaches. They made a few smart decisions there and it worked out.

“Because of different things, you score this goal not and concede here a goal then it goes in the other direction. But he has the quality and had the luck in the right moment.

“Now he's in charge and there's no doubt about that he will be the manager next year as well. That's clear.

“Can you imagine one situation when they say: 'We bring in another manager'? He deserved that 100 per cent.

“He made everything what you have to make to be successful with them. So now I think we spoke enough."

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Paris Saint-Germain remain the only team to beat Solksjaer's United, the French champions claiming a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the Champions League.

But Klopp believes Thomas Tuchel's side benefited from the hosts' injury-enforced withdrawal of Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial, both of whom could be fit for the Reds' visit to Manchester.

“Result-wise they were the only team, but Tottenham played a pretty good game against United to be honest!" he added.

“PSG were pretty cool with the ball, passed a lot, they were really confident, good positioning, passing through the lines and scoring in the right moment.

“And of course you saw against Chelsea that United could play pretty well without Lingard and Martial. That was a proper line-up with Mata and Lukaku coming in. But changing in the game is different, and you cannot really adapt.

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"They played the last five or six games before that with the same line-up and then they had to adapt in 15 minutes, and it didn’t really work out.

“PSG used that, it was a bit of luck for PSG but they played a really good game, very demanding, looked in charge in most situations, didn’t give a lot of counter-attacks away, which is a very big thing against United.

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“Whichever line-up they have, whoever the play will attack quickly on the offensive wings, and from time to time they leave a player up and stuff like that. You need to be 100 per cent concentrated, and PSG did well, scored good goals in the right moments and that always helps in football.”