Solskjaer has failed to win a trophy in nearly three years in charge at Old Trafford and tangible signs of progress after finishing second in the Premier League last season have been blown away amid a run of five defeats in their last nine games. United are already eight points off the pace at the top of the table and there is a growing consensus that they need a coach to match the calibre of Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Chelsea's Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel.
Solskjaer has led United to two consecutive top-four finishes for the first time since Alex Ferguson's retirement as manager in 2013, but his time looks to be running out. We look at five of the candidates to replace the 48-year-old if and when he is shown the door at Old Trafford.
A proven title winner, Conte turned a Chelsea side that had finished 10th the previous season into Premier League winners in his debut campaign in England in 2016/17. The Italian is without a club having left Inter Milan in May after ending their 11-year wait to win Serie A. Conte appears a perfect fit to solve United's defensive woes that have blighted their season. Solskjaer's men have kept one clean sheet in 21 games and shipped 11 goals in a week against Leicester, Atalanta and Liverpool.
However, Conte's fiery temperament and tendency to fall out with his superiors could count against him. "He's not a fit for United," said former United captain Gary Neville on Sunday.
