THE SURVIVOR SLICE OF LUCK

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER is a survivor, if nothing else – and a lucky one to boot. There’s always an air of inevitability that the Norwegian is heading for the sack at Manchester United sooner or later. It’s been there from the day he rode to the club’s rescue in December 2018.

Nobody predicted the emergency caretaker coach would win ten of his first 11 games and be handed the reins permanently. This time last year nobody could have predicted he would be around long after a spell of turgid performances and results in the early part of the 2019-20 campaign. But that’s what happened.

So when the knives are being sharpened for a third time in under two years – as they were for much of this one-sided contest – it’s best not to jump to conclusions.

Solskjaer the player was renowned for popping up with result-changing strikes. And Solskjaer the manager is proving equally adept at digging himself out of the mire.

Make no mistake, had Brighton taken their chances – rather than strike the woodwork five times – and VAR not ruled against them on penalty calls, the United boss would be up to his neck in it.

Defeat last weekend at home to Crystal Palace had already put him back in the dock.

Who knows where he would be had his side got the nothing they deserved here.

As it was, United, thanks to Lewis Dunk’s own goal, Marcus Rashford’s superb solo strike and Bruno Fernandes’ last kick-of-the-game penalty, somehow escaped a battering and left with three points. What a travesty. Seriously, apart from a brief 15 minutes after the break, all the quality came from Graham Potter’s outfit.

Solskjaer will know that unless there is a swift improvement talk of the axe will become deafening.

His cause is not helped by Mauricio Pochettino, United’s original choice to replace Jose Mourinho, remaining unemployed.

The ex-tottenham boss is a world-class coach, apparently. A team of his would never perform this poorly against the

Seagulls, allegedly.

Except Poch’s

Spurs lost here last season. He was sacked soon after.

You could argue this United team

BY THE LEFT: Marcus Rashford scores for United

looked equally poor – and Solskjaer warrants a similar fate.

But that is to ignore the fact Albion, inspired by irrepressible Tariq Lamptey, are miles better this season – like United were after Fernandes signed last January.

Now, you can condemn the club’s failure to bring in any similar game-changers this summer.

Yet you can’t blame Solskjaer (left) for that – unless targets are rejecting United because he is in the dug-out.

If so, they should check out this crazy clash.