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How Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho's final Man Utd game compare to Solskjaer's 5-0 drubbing
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is facing a desperate fight to keep his job at Manchester United, with his three predecessors all also sacked before hitting four years in charge at the Premier League side
A 5-0 drubbing at home to fierce rivals Liverpool would ordinarily spell the end of any Manchester United manager’s reign, though that is yet to happen to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Two of Solskjaer’s last three predecessors have been let go after a Premier League defeat, with Jose Mourinho even sacked after his own loss to the Reds.
The United manager’s job is on a knife-edge and considering how United dealt with the sackings of Mourinho, Louis Van Gaal and David Moyes, there is still time for him to be fired.
If Sunday was his final game, it would be the worst defeat in any last match of Sir Alex Ferguson’s four successors.
Here, Daily Star Sport looks at how Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho’s final games compare to Solskjaer’s hammering on Sunday...
David Moyes – Everton 2-0 Manchester United, April 2014
The Red Devils were floundering in seventh place, the same position United are in now, when they travelled to Everton, who Moyes had left to take over from Ferguson.
It had been a difficult season for Moyes, with United crashing out of both the FA Cup and Capital One Cup to Swansea City and Sunderland respectively.
He entered the trip to Goodison Park with his squad also reportedly in revolt, with Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand having both been critical of his management style.
The United supporters were deeply unhappy with Moyes’ management, flying a banner over Old Trafford that read “Wrong One - Moyes Out”, a reference to the banner at Old Trafford that proclaimed Moyes to be the “Chosen One”.
It was a miserable return to Everton for the Scot, with the Toffees securing a 2-0 win thanks to a Leighton Baines penalty and a Kevin Mirallas strike.
Tim Howard was barely troubled in the Everton goal as the hosts saw the game out to complete the double over the Red Devils.
Despite having missed out on Champions League football, Moyes gave no hint that he would be departing.
“I thought we did really well, I thought we kept the ball well, I thought we were the better team. We’ll do everything we can to get things in place for the start of next season,” Moyes told BBC Sport.
He was given just two more days in charge though before United sacked him, with Ryan Giggs taking interim charge.
Louis Van Gaal – Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace, May 2016
Perhaps surprisingly, Louis Van Gaal’s final game in charge of United was the same match in which they won their first trophy since Ferguson’s retirement.
But it is not a sacking that Van Gaal can say he didn’t see coming, with news filtering out of the club ahead of that FA Cup final heavily hinting he would not see out the week.
United only managed to finish fifth in Van Gaal’s final campaign in charge, scoring only 49 league goals, with many criticising the Dutchman’s cautious tactics.
Paul Scholes had been particularly fierce in his criticism, blasting the lack of spirit in the side.
“It's not a team I would have enjoyed playing in. There's no spirit, there's nobody having a go at each other, there's no smiling, there's no entertainment,” he said.
At one point in the showpiece game, it looked as if Palace would end Van Gaal’s reign with a defeat as Jason Puncheon put them ahead with 12 minutes remaining.
Juan Mata quickly equalised from close-range before Jesse Lingard struck home in extra-time to win the cup for United.
Though there was sympathy for the way in which Van Gaal had been treated by the club, many still took aim at his side’s performance.
“If Saturday's FA Cup final win over Crystal Palace was Louis van Gaal's last game in charge, then he has gone out with what will be remembered as a typical performance of his time as boss,” Alan Shearer wrote for BBC Sport.
“The same thing has happened many times before this season - they were the better team so they did deserve to beat Palace, but they did not play particularly well.”
Van Gaal’s exit did not upset too many United fans, with many demanding more attacking football, though at least the Dutchman won some silverware, unlike Moyes or Solskjaer.
Jose Mourinho – Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United, December 2018
Concerningly for Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho’s time in charge of Manchester United ended with a poor defeat to Liverpool.
United had lost five and drawn five of their first 17 games in the top-flight that season, entering the game in sixth place.
Reports had dogged the Portuguese boss for much of his final six months about the possibility of him getting sacked.
And those reports ramped up following their trip to Anfield, with the Red Devils putting in a lacklustre performance on Merseyside.
Sadio Mane put the Reds ahead before Alisson gifted Jesse Lingard an equaliser nine minutes later.
Jurgen Klopp brought on Xherdan Shaqiri after the break, with the Swiss star having a devastating impact, scoring twice to down the Red Devils.
Former United captain Gary Neville blasted United’s performance following the game, with Mourinho’s job on a knife-edge.
“I'm in shock. Liverpool were streets ahead of United, absolutely streets ahead. United were awful today. They haven't got anyone in midfield that can pass a ball. Not one of them,” he said.
“They were hanging in there for a bit but the only real team who were going to win the game was Liverpool. It's not good enough.”
Much like Moyes, Mourinho attempted to defend his team’s display, insisting that United were on top when Liverpool scored.
“The strongest team won, but they won in the period when they were not stronger than us,” he told BBC Sport.
“In the moment when the game was going down, Liverpool's intensity was dying, the centre-backs were shooting from 30-40 metres because they could not find spaces in a dangerous area.”
Mourinho was sacked two days after that game, to the delight of United fans, with Solskjaer taking interim charge.
Daily Star Sunday
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is facing a desperate fight to keep his job at Manchester United, with his three predecessors all also sacked before hitting four years in charge at the Premier League side
A 5-0 drubbing at home to fierce rivals Liverpool would ordinarily spell the end of any Manchester United manager’s reign, though that is yet to happen to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Two of Solskjaer’s last three predecessors have been let go after a Premier League defeat, with Jose Mourinho even sacked after his own loss to the Reds.
The United manager’s job is on a knife-edge and considering how United dealt with the sackings of Mourinho, Louis Van Gaal and David Moyes, there is still time for him to be fired.
If Sunday was his final game, it would be the worst defeat in any last match of Sir Alex Ferguson’s four successors.
Here, Daily Star Sport looks at how Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho’s final games compare to Solskjaer’s hammering on Sunday...
David Moyes – Everton 2-0 Manchester United, April 2014
The Red Devils were floundering in seventh place, the same position United are in now, when they travelled to Everton, who Moyes had left to take over from Ferguson.
It had been a difficult season for Moyes, with United crashing out of both the FA Cup and Capital One Cup to Swansea City and Sunderland respectively.
He entered the trip to Goodison Park with his squad also reportedly in revolt, with Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand having both been critical of his management style.
The United supporters were deeply unhappy with Moyes’ management, flying a banner over Old Trafford that read “Wrong One - Moyes Out”, a reference to the banner at Old Trafford that proclaimed Moyes to be the “Chosen One”.
It was a miserable return to Everton for the Scot, with the Toffees securing a 2-0 win thanks to a Leighton Baines penalty and a Kevin Mirallas strike.
Tim Howard was barely troubled in the Everton goal as the hosts saw the game out to complete the double over the Red Devils.
Despite having missed out on Champions League football, Moyes gave no hint that he would be departing.
“I thought we did really well, I thought we kept the ball well, I thought we were the better team. We’ll do everything we can to get things in place for the start of next season,” Moyes told BBC Sport.
He was given just two more days in charge though before United sacked him, with Ryan Giggs taking interim charge.
Louis Van Gaal – Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace, May 2016
Perhaps surprisingly, Louis Van Gaal’s final game in charge of United was the same match in which they won their first trophy since Ferguson’s retirement.
But it is not a sacking that Van Gaal can say he didn’t see coming, with news filtering out of the club ahead of that FA Cup final heavily hinting he would not see out the week.
United only managed to finish fifth in Van Gaal’s final campaign in charge, scoring only 49 league goals, with many criticising the Dutchman’s cautious tactics.
Paul Scholes had been particularly fierce in his criticism, blasting the lack of spirit in the side.
“It's not a team I would have enjoyed playing in. There's no spirit, there's nobody having a go at each other, there's no smiling, there's no entertainment,” he said.
At one point in the showpiece game, it looked as if Palace would end Van Gaal’s reign with a defeat as Jason Puncheon put them ahead with 12 minutes remaining.
Juan Mata quickly equalised from close-range before Jesse Lingard struck home in extra-time to win the cup for United.
Though there was sympathy for the way in which Van Gaal had been treated by the club, many still took aim at his side’s performance.
“If Saturday's FA Cup final win over Crystal Palace was Louis van Gaal's last game in charge, then he has gone out with what will be remembered as a typical performance of his time as boss,” Alan Shearer wrote for BBC Sport.
“The same thing has happened many times before this season - they were the better team so they did deserve to beat Palace, but they did not play particularly well.”
Van Gaal’s exit did not upset too many United fans, with many demanding more attacking football, though at least the Dutchman won some silverware, unlike Moyes or Solskjaer.
Jose Mourinho – Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United, December 2018
Concerningly for Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho’s time in charge of Manchester United ended with a poor defeat to Liverpool.
United had lost five and drawn five of their first 17 games in the top-flight that season, entering the game in sixth place.
Reports had dogged the Portuguese boss for much of his final six months about the possibility of him getting sacked.
And those reports ramped up following their trip to Anfield, with the Red Devils putting in a lacklustre performance on Merseyside.
Sadio Mane put the Reds ahead before Alisson gifted Jesse Lingard an equaliser nine minutes later.
Jurgen Klopp brought on Xherdan Shaqiri after the break, with the Swiss star having a devastating impact, scoring twice to down the Red Devils.
Former United captain Gary Neville blasted United’s performance following the game, with Mourinho’s job on a knife-edge.
“I'm in shock. Liverpool were streets ahead of United, absolutely streets ahead. United were awful today. They haven't got anyone in midfield that can pass a ball. Not one of them,” he said.
“They were hanging in there for a bit but the only real team who were going to win the game was Liverpool. It's not good enough.”
Much like Moyes, Mourinho attempted to defend his team’s display, insisting that United were on top when Liverpool scored.
“The strongest team won, but they won in the period when they were not stronger than us,” he told BBC Sport.
“In the moment when the game was going down, Liverpool's intensity was dying, the centre-backs were shooting from 30-40 metres because they could not find spaces in a dangerous area.”
Mourinho was sacked two days after that game, to the delight of United fans, with Solskjaer taking interim charge.
Daily Star Sunday