Danny Murphy claims Man United will SACK Ole Gunnar Solskjaer if he fails to win the Europa League

  /  autty

Danny Murphy claims Manchester United will sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer if the Norwegian does not guide his side to the Europa League title this season.

Solskjaer's United lie were dumped out of the FA Cup by Leicester City at the quarter-final stage on Sunday - meaning the Europa League remains their only chance of lifting silverware this season.

The Red Devils are 14 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City and also suffered Champions League and Carabao Cup exits over the winter, with Sportsmail columnist Murphy claiming this will not be enough for Solskjaer to keep his job next season.

Murphy told talkSPORT: 'They can't be blaming tiredness for a loss at Leicester in the FA Cup and their squad not being strong enough.

'United competing in the Europa League is not good enough, first and foremost, the fans know that, the club know that and Ole knows that.

'Not progressing in the Champions League was a massive, massive blow for them. Yes, they're going to get in the top four… but so they damn should!

'He's in a position for me where the Europa League, for me, has become monumental for him and the club.

'I like him and I'm not one who wants to see managers sacked and I do think they've made some strides forward, but Manchester United have to be doing better.

'If they don't win the Europa League and only finish in the top four then I think they'll make a change.'

Solskjaer's side were put into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group which contained French giants Paris Saint-Germain, last year's semi-finalists RB Leipzig and Turkish outfit Istanbul Basaksehir.

After successfully co-ordinating difficult knockout ties against Real Sociedad and AC Milan, United are now in the quarter-finals stage where they will face Spanish side Granada before one of AS Roma or Ajax should they win their last-eight tie.

Last week - before the FA Cup defeat to Leicester - Solskjaer praised his side's successful record in the cup competitions this season but insisted that their league position, and not their trophy haul, will determine how far they have come this term.

Solskjaer told a press conference: 'We're all aiming to win trophies at this club, but sometimes the trophy can hide other things that are happening at the club.

'It's in the league positions that you see whether you're progressing, really. The cups you can be lucky or unlucky. Of course we're aiming to win, that's why you play football.

'I felt a big rebuild had to be made. The league is always the bread and butter and that's when you see how capable you are.

'The cups are sometimes an ego thing for managers and clubs. It's not like a trophy will say "we are back", no. It's gradual progression at the top of the league. Sometimes the cup competitions can hide your progress a bit.'

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