Manchester United's decision to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as permanent manager in 2019 was reportedly finalised over a three-hour dinner at an Italian restaurant in Hale, Greater Manchester. According to reports, club chief executive Ed Woodward and Solskjaer met at Cibo, an eatery that opened in 2018, to discuss the Norwegian's future after an impressive interim spell.
Solskjaer had taken temporary charge in December 2018 following Jose Mourinho's dismissal, winning his first six league matches and orchestrating a dramatic Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain. The meeting with Woodward reportedly took place on the anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, after Solskjaer had joined former captain Bryan Robson to lay a wreath for the victims.
The agreement was announced at the end of March 2019, shortly after United's 3-0 win over Fulham, where Paul Pogba scored twice. The victory lifted the team into the top four, though they eventually finished sixth after a late-season collapse. Solskjaer went on to lead United to third and second-place finishes in the Premier League before being sacked in November 2021 with the club in seventh.
Michael Carrick, who served as interim manager after Solskjaer's dismissal and again following Erik ten Hag's departure, has impressed in his current temporary role. However, United are expected to wait until the summer to appoint a permanent successor, with Zinedine Zidane among the names linked but reportedly close to agreeing to manage the French national team.
Carrick's side face Everton away on Monday night, with a win potentially moving United back into fourth place and opening a gap over Chelsea and Liverpool.
