Old clip of Irish legend Keane predicting Ole fate resurfaces after United boss sacked
Football

Old clip of Irish legend Keane predicting Ole fate resurfaces after United boss sacked

AN OLD clip of Roy Keane predicting that Manchester United players would throw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer "under the bus" has resurfaced online.

The footage was recorded on Sky Sports in the build-up to United's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on April 24, 2019.

It was shared on social media following Solskjaer's sacking in the wake of Saturday's 4-1 defeat at promoted Watford.

'Leopards don't change their spots'

In the footage, former Ireland and United midfielder Keane was discussing the Red Devils' 4-0 defeat to Everton ahead of the Manchester derby.

The Goodison Park loss marked a fourth defeat in six games following Solskjaer's permanent appointment, having been interim manager after Jose Mourinho's sacking in December 2018.

The Portuguese was dismissed following a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool with United in sixth place after losing five of their first 17 league games.

"You've got to be up for every game of football, so I don't fall for this carry on that there's going to be a brilliant reaction from these players," said Keane at the time.

"These are the same players that threw Mourinho under the boss and they will do exactly the same to Ole.

"Leopards don's change their spots.

"There's too many bluffers at this club to get United back to the very top."

Nine of the 11 players who started for United in that 4-0 defeat to Everton are still at United.

However Solskjaer also invested heavily to overhaul the squad he inherited from Mourinho, with the starting XI at Watford featuring three players that the Norwegian paid in excess of £50m for.

Defensive woes

United currently sit eighth in the table, just ahead of Brighton by virtue of a slightly better goal difference.

They are six points off the Champions League spots, but also only six points ahead of Leeds in 17th.

After winning four of their first five league games, they won just one of the following seven matches, a run that included home defeats to lowly Aston Villa and fierce rivals Liverpool and City.

They have conceded 21 goals in the league so far this season — only the bottom two sides, Newcastle and Norwich, have shipped more.

United also rank bottom of the table in terms of tackles made (152).

Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers has become the favourite with Sky Bet at 5/2 to succeed Solskjaer.

Interim boss Michael Carrick (4/1) is second favourite, while former frontrunner Zinedine Zidane is now 6/1.