Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was Liverpool fan growing up as Man Utd legend linked with return

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be set for a return as Manchester United interim manager, although he has revealed he grew up as a Liverpool fan since his last spell at Old Trafford

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been linked with a return to Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has built up a reputation as a Manchester United legend during his spells as a player and manager of the club, but it was the Red Devils’ fiercest rivals who caught his attention as a youngster.

Solskjaer could be set for his second spell in charge at Old Trafford following the firing of Ruben Amorim. Reports have suggested that the former striker is one of the names that has been contacted, along with Michael Carrick and current caretaker Darren Fletcher, about becoming the club’s interim manager for the remainder of the season.

Liverpool fans might welcome that appointment, given the Reds effectively brought about the downfall of Solskjaer’s first spell in charge of United. Had he followed his childhood club through to his professional career though, he might well well have been eyeing up the job at Anfield instead.

Solskjaer spent 11 years as a player at Old Trafford, and firmly ingrained himself as a United favorite, although rumors that he had grown up as a Liverpool supporter followed him around.

Knowing that would be unwise to admit to given the reputation he had built up with United, Solskjaer refused to confirm or deny it for years.

“You learn as long as you live, that’s the only answer I can give you,” he told FourFourTwo in 2016. “I never confirm that one! I’m a Manchester United fan through and through. I bleed red.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watches on during Liverpool's 5-0 win over Manchester United in October 2021(Image: Getty Images)

In 2023 though, the truth finally came out. In an interview on James Richardson’s Kings of Europe podcast, Solskjaer finally admitted he had indeed been a Liverpool fan in his younger years.

"I must have been environmentally damaged because when you follow football, we had Match of the Day on every Saturday in Norway and of course, Liverpool were the better team in the 80s," he said.

"They had Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and all of those, so yes I followed Liverpool. I was one of the supporters who followed because they won everything, Hard enough to say as a Man United player but they were the better team in the 80s."

Clearly, Solskjaer has put his support of the Reds firmly behind him now, although given he might find himself back in the Old Trafford hot seat soon, he might wish he never made his admission.

The two sides are set to meet again in May, by which time United’s interim manager - whoever that is - will be coming toward the end of their planned stint in charge. If it is Solskjaer, he’ll be hoping that game goes better than his last meeting with Liverpool.