Man Utd players share responsibility for Solskjaer sacking -Maguire

Michael Carrick wants Manchester United players to quickly refocus on Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Villarreal after paying an “emotional” farewell to sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Carrick has been placed in caretaker charge after Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Watford proved the final straw for the beleaguered Solskjaer, who bid his farewells to the players with an address at the training ground on Sunday morning.

Captain Harry Maguire, appearing alongside Carrick at the press conference, said players needed to take responsibility for the results that had led to Solskjaer’s exit.

“It’s been a very hard time for the players given the amount of respect that we have for the boss and what he’s done for a lot of us over the last two and a half years,” Maguire said.

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“Of course the players need to take responsibility for everything on the football field. We’re the ones that cross that white line. We were in it together as a group — the management and players — and ultimately the manager has paid the price.

“We’re all disappointed. We take huge responsibility. We haven’t been good enough as individuals and as a collective. We spoke about that. Now we’ve got to look forward to get the club back to where is was.

“The last few months have been nowhere near good enough.”

Asked about Solskjaer’s farewell address to the players at Carrington on Sunday, Maguire said: “It was an emotional day. Everyone has got a huge amount of respect for Ole and what he’s done. He’s a legend at the club and he will remain a legend at the club.

“I don’t want to go into too much detail. He wished us well and said he’d be supporting us. We need to get back on track and get focused on the game with Villarreal now.

“He said he’ll be supporting us and wanting us to win every game and that shows the values of the man.”

On the same subject, Carrick said, “it has been an emotional time for everyone at the club. I’ve been working with Ole now for three years and I’ve known him an awful lot longer. I know the person he is, the values he has, what he believes and how he treats people.

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“To see Ole unfortunately lose his job yesterday was tough for me and tough for a lot of people at the club. You could tell by the emotion around the place yesterday what Ole meant to everyone.

“We understand and Ole understands it’s a results business so as much as you build the right foundations and environment and you show people the way, you sometimes don’t get what you deserve…

“On the flip side football is football and it’s business as usual today in terms of preparing the team for tomorrow’s game.

“It’s a privilege for me to sit in this position and I understand the responsibilities that come with that. The focus now is on flipping our mindset very quickly and that’s something this club has done very well historically.”

Carrick said he was told on Sunday morning by United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward he would be put in temporary charge — with the club planning to appoint an interim manager until the end of the season before a long-term replacement is named.