Man Utd's Solskjaer experiment has cost them three world class managers

Manchester United continue to remain loyal to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - but that trust is costing them dearly.

Despite having one of the most expensive squads in the Premier League, the Norwegian has failed to compete with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea during his three-year spell at Old Trafford.

United are currently sixth in the table after picking up just four points from their last six league games and haven't won a trophy since May 2017. And, sadly for them, that drought doesn't look like ending under Solskjaer.

The Red Devils, though, must have a plan in place if and when they decide to part company with their failing manager.

Take Tottenham, for instance. Chief Daniel Levy swiftly sacked Nuno Espirito Santo earlier this month to replace him with Antonio Conte.

Should Manchester United sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer? Let us know in the comments below!

The opportunity for a world class manager was there - and Levy took it. The timing has to be right and, unfortunately for United, it seems wrong right now.

Giving Solskjaer time after his team was drubbed 5-0 by Liverpool at Old Trafford last month has seen them miss out on Conte, a four-time Serie A winner.

Some believe the Italian would've been the wrong appointment. Gary Neville said after the Liverpool debacle: "I wouldn't bring Conte in to United. He's not a fit for United.

"I might be wrong but I don't think that he is. I think it would be wrong to sack Ole today. I sacked a manager after six games last season, it was the wrong thing to do, I should've let things breathe."

United let "things breathe" and they found themselves on the end of another humiliation on Saturday, losing 2-0 at home to City. Solskjaer's side never even laid a glove on Pep Guardiola's champions.

Conte would've been the perfect manager for United. He's delivered success at every club that's given him resources - and there are certainly no question marks over United's budget.

The Red Devils have been here before. In December 2018, when Solskjaer was appointed as interim boss, the team went on a fantastic run - not losing another Premier League game until March.

That saw Solskjaer awarded with a permanent contract that month but if United had just waited until the end of the season to make that decision, they could have appointed long-term target Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine was never going to leave Tottenham during the middle of the season, later guiding them to the Champions League final, but would have been a realistic appointment during the summer.

Pochettino's time at Spurs was coming to an end by that point, eventually leaving in November, and - like Conte - has a far better managerial CV than Solskjaer.

The current Paris Saint-Germain coach took a decent Spurs team from sixth to the brink of Premier League and Champions League glory.

Solskjaer's resume, meanwhile, contains a couple of Norwegian titles at Molde and a relegation with Cardiff. Hardly anything to shout about.

United's rash decision to give their current manager a contract before the end of the season saw them miss out on Pochettino, who is unlikely to leave PSG anytime soon with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at his disposal.

It was a similar situation with Thomas Tuchel last December. The German was on the verge of leaving PSG and reports suggested United were considering replacing Solskjaer with him.

At the time, United had just crashed out of their Champions League group and question marks were again being raised about their manager.

Who will be the best player in the world in 2025? Have your say!

Yet they stuck with Solskjaer and Tuchel ended up going to Chelsea, instead, where he won the Champions League.

It's not too late for United to appoint a world class manager - but they have to learn from their mistakes. When there's an opportunity to get the right person, they have to take it.

There's no loyalty in football. The sooner United realise that, the sooner they'll win a 21st league title.