Watford boss Roy Hodgson makes bold Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claim ahead of Manchester United clash

Watford manager Roy Hodgson believes Manchester United would have remained in a strong position to secure a top-four finish this season even if they had refrained from sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Hodgson, who was appointed Watford boss last month on a deal until the end of the season, has made the admission ahead of the Hornets' visit to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

Solskjaer was sacked by United back in November less than 24 hours after the Reds fell to a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road. The defeat in Hertfordshire was the Reds' fifth in seven Premier League games and it marked the point of no return for the Norwegian, despite only being six points off the top-four with more than two thirds of the season remaining.

Since axing Solskjaer, United, although they have experienced no shortage of bumps along the way, have only lost once in the league, suggesting that the club was right to relieve the former striker of his duties when they did.

However, Hornets chief Hodgson felt United remained in with a good chance of securing Champions League football under Solskjaer.

"Yes, they've been quite good, I think," said Hodgson, as quoted by Hertfordshire Live. "To be honest, I think they've been fairly steady for a period now.

"They were fairly steady under Ole, I thought. They're still in with a chance of top-four which is obviously important for them.

"But they were really in with that chance, I thought, with Ole as well."

Solskjaer, of course, was replaced by experienced German coach Ralf Rangnick until the end of the season and he is a figure that is no stranger to Hodgson.

He continued: "Ralf is a guy I know very well, I know how good he is as a manager, and as a thinker about the game.

"So I'm