With Woodward’s previous form, Pochettino casts a shadow over Solskjaer

Jose Mourinho became the elephant in the room for Louis van Gaal. Mauricio Pochettino may be about to become something similar for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

To this day, Van Gaal says he did not see his sacking as Manchester United manager coming, confident private assurances from Ed Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman, meant more than persistent chatter about Mourinho being lined up to replace him.

“What I don’t like is Woodward contacting my successor, knowing he will replace me and he keeps his mouth shut for six months,” the Dutchman reflected in March. “I had to go into press conferences and be asked what I thought about the rumours. What does that do to the authority of the coach?”

Solskjaer was under enough pressure without the manager whom his employer coveted at the time of the Norwegian’s interim appointment last December now being available. Like Mourinho in 2016, Pochettino’s availability following his sacking at Tottenham Hotspur makes him a more attractive proposition but, unlike Mourinho, there would be few doubts about whether the Argentine is the right fit for a club who are so vocal about wanting to play attacking football with youth at their core.

Pochettino is a champion of both and he threatens to cast a shadow over Solskjaer, who might not be averse to things going south for Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.

It was a combination of an extraordinary run of results during Solskjaer’s caretaker period and the prospect of having to pay a reputed compensation package of £34 million to prise Pochettino away from Spurs that led United to install their 1999 Champions League final hero as manager on a permanent basis.

It has not gone so well since then for Solskjaer. A run of five wins from six in all competitions has given Solskjaer breathing space, but Pochettino’s dismissal is a curveball and, for all the current show of faith in Solskjaer, it may prompt United to be less tolerant than they might otherwise have been if results nosedive.

There is also the added headache of Mourinho pitching up at Spurs. It will make for an interesting evening at Old Trafford on Dec 4, when the two teams meet.

Pochettino’s departure from Tottenham guarantees increased scrutiny of Solskjaer. Ask Van Gaal.