Solskjaer Tenure At Manchester United Lauded By Matic Amid Debate Over Sacking

Nemanja Matic says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have remained in charge at Manchester United for longer, arguing that league finishes under the Norwegian look stronger when compared with recent seasons and stressing that the coaching staff had a clear plan for regularly competing at the top.

The former Manchester United midfielder, speaking to FourFourTwo, defended Solskjaer’s record and felt outside opinions did not reflect the work inside the dressing room. "We finished second and third under him," Matic told FourFourTwo, highlighting those Premier League campaigns as evidence that progress had been made.

Ruben's analysis of this afternoon's fixture at Villa Park pic.twitter.com/autgb6MYtvManchester United (@ManUtd) December 21, 2025

Solskjaer’s

spell as Manchester United manager ran from December 2018 until November 2021, covering 109 Premier League fixtures. During that period, Manchester United won 51 league matches, drew 29 and lost 24, which gave Solskjaer an average return of 1.81 points per Premier League game.

Across all competitions, Manchester United reached several key stages under Solskjaer. The team finished second in the Premier League once and third on another occasion, advanced to the Europa League final in 2021, and also made the semi-finals of both the EFL Cup and FA Cup during the Norwegian’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer collected individual recognition as Manchester United manager in January 2019. That month brought the Premier League Manager of the Month award, after Manchester United claimed 10 points from a possible 12. Solskjaer became the first Manchester United manager to receive that specific honour since Alex Ferguson in October 2012.

Matic also focused on the daily standards at Manchester United under Solskjaer, praising the structure of training sessions and preparation for matches. The midfielder felt Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna organised work on the pitch in detail, and believed this framework positioned Manchester United to challenge again for major trophies.

Matic’s reflections present Solskjaer’s Manchester United reign as more positive than some assessments at the time, underlining strong league positions, consistent cup runs and respected training methods, while also acknowledging that the decision to dismiss Solskjaer followed poor short-term results rather than the wider body of work over three years.