Solskjaer interim Man United manager

(AP):

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is on another rescue mission at Manchester United, this time as manager.

The former striker, who became a United great by conjuring up important goals typically as a substitute most famously an injury-time winner in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final was picked as the man to bring stability to the English club after the tumultuous 21/2-year tenure of Jose Mourinho.

Solskjaer was hired as manager until the end of the season yesterday in a sentimental choice likely to prove popular with United's increasingly disillusioned fan base.

His task: To resuscitate United after its worst start to a league season in 28 years, prompting Mourinho's departure on Tuesday. The team is in sixth place in the English Premier League, 19 points behind first-place Liverpool and 11 behind fourth-place Chelsea.

VERY TALENTED SQUAD

"Manchester United is in my heart," said Solskjaer, who played for United from 1996-2007 and scored 126 goals in 366 appearances, "and it's brilliant to be coming back in this role. I'm really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club."

Solskjaer had been coaching Norwegian team Molde, who said it had agreed to "lend" him to United to "help to put Molde further on the football map." He recently signed a three-year deal with the team.

"In football, you never know what can happen," Solskjaer said. "We get proof of (it) time after time. This is an opportunity I had to take."

The arrival of Solskjaer did not come as a surprise.

Late Tuesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg appeared to confirm Solskjaer was moving to United by writing on Twitter it was a "great day for Norwegian football" and wishing him "good luck keeping control of the Red Devils." It was later deleted.