Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pinpoints moment he knew Manchester United would sack him

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits it was only at half-time of his final match against Watford that he knew his time was up as manager of Manchester United.

It has been almost two years since the club legend was sacked by United after a disastrous start to the season that culminated with a 4-1 defeat away at relegation-threatened Watford. Solskjaer had survived until the international break despite heavy defeats to Leicester and Liverpool, as well as a poor performance in the Manchester derby, but reached the point of no return when his side were humiliated at Vicarage Road.

It was one of the only times the match-going crowd voiced their anger towards Solskjaer, and he admits he knew the time was up when his side went in two goals down at half-time.

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"Nobody told me, but I knew at half-time against Watford," Solskjaer told The Athletic. "We didn’t look like a Man United team; the players weren’t running for each other. At half-time, I told the players it was probably going to be the last time we worked together and to play with pride. We almost turned it around, until Harry Maguire got sent off.

The Norwegian wasn't given his marching orders at full-time, though there was a growing sense that he would lose his job in the aftermath of the defeat. Solskjaer would be sacked the day after the loss to Watford and he explained how he learned his fate.

He added: "I got a text message the next morning from Ed Woodward saying he needed to see me in his office at Carrington. That was pretty hard when you’ve been at the club for 18 years with all those good and bad times I’d had lots of backing and good times