‘PUPPET’ JIBE AT SOLSKJAER

guy, after three months, is a puppet and that doesn’t end well.” Mourinho lifted the League Cup and the Europa League trophies while at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer – given the job full time after 10 wins in his first 11 games as caretaker – has presided over two wins from the final 12 matches in all competitions.

United finished outside the Champions League places, and the 32-point gulf between them and City was the largest margin they have trailed in behind a champion club since returning to the top flight in 1975.

Solskjaer, whose men were humiliated at home by relegated Cardiff (above) on the final day of the season, is now ready to get rid of a string of his stars.

Mourinho told French sports newspaper L’Equipe: “Generally, the players can feel a certain erosion, especially when you ask a lot of them.

“When I say that the second season was fantastic, I say it because the potential and the objectives were met. I really squeezed, like an orange, to achieve [with] them.

“When you have a very professional group of players who are ambitious, hard-working and talented, at a structured club, you don’t have that erosion.”

Solskjaer (below) has reportedly been keen to offload Anthony Martial, a player Mourinho was also said to have had difficulty developing. But the Portuguese said he only wanted to see the France striker live up to his billing.

He said: “The thing

I can say is I hope he will reach a level that’s as good as his real potential.”