Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's former team-mate Mark Bosnich is worried about the Manchester United coach's future but feels the Norwegian can still succeed at Old Trafford.
Pressure is building on the Red Devils and Solskjaer after only one win in their past five matches, with four of those games hosted at the Theatre of Dreams.
Bosnich - speaking in his role as an expert for Stan Sport's Champions League coverage - feels he can see what Solskjaer is trying to do at Manchester United, but it's currently not being executed correctly.
And with a tough fixture list that includes matches against Atalanta, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City, Villarreal, Chelsea and Arsenal over the next six weeks, Bosnich believes a poor run of results could see Solskjaer axed as Manchester United manager.
"I am a little bit worried [about Solskjaer]," Bosnich said ahead of United's Champions League clash against Atalanta on Thursday morning (AEDT).
"I'm biased and I want him to do well. But I am a little bit concerned at the moment because playing Burnley is not playing Liverpool or Atalanta or even Tottenham.
"The bottom line is that if he continues to lose, the club will have no choice (but to sack him). And I think Ole will know that. Everyone knows that."
Solskjaer was selected as Manchester United interim boss after Jose Mourinho was dismissed in December 2018 and was later appointed full-time manager in March 2019 after a successful start to his reign.
While Bosnich says he can visualise what Solskjaer is trying to do at Old Trafford, results are the most important thing in football and if the Norwegian can't get the wins on the board his tenure could be over soon.
The Man Utd goalkeeper also referenced his former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson as an example of what a club holding their nerve on a manager can achieve.
"Three years is a clutch time for a manager," Bosnich said.
"Remember Sir Alex Ferguson? After three years, people wanted him out badly. I remember a game back in the late 80's where the crowd stayed back and bayed for his blood. Basically saying they wanted him out. Literally four months later, they won the FA Cup and the rest is history.
"Clubs have to hold their nerve but there does come a time regardless when results on the pitch make it an inevitability. It might be the case this time (for Solsjaer) but I hope it's not. I don't think it will be. You can't rule out that possibility."
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With Manchester United's tough run of fixtures coming up, Bosnich thinks it will be evident soon enough if the players are playing for their manager and that ultimately only a trophy, which looks hard to come by, will take the pressure off Solskjaer.
"I can see what Ole is trying to do," he said. "But it's just not being executed at the moment, that's the bottom line.
"We'll see how much the players want to play for him. When things are going well, everyone wants to play. When things aren't you'll be amazed to see how many players will be appearing at the treatment table.
"I do believe they need to win a trophy and realistically at this point in time, after eight games, that they look like winning the league title - although I wouldn't rule it out. Champions League I don't think so either. The FA Cup is the only one left at the moment."
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