"If someone mentioned finishing fourth as a great achievement, they'd have been lynched" – Roy Keane warns Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about short-term success

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Roy Keane has told Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he needs wins quickly to have any chance of a long-term future at Old Trafford.

United were beaten 2-0 by West Ham on Sunday, which leaves them 10 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool after just six matches.

And while Keane says his former team-mate needs more opportunities to strengthen United's squad in the transfer market, he acknowledges that the scrutiny on Solskjaer will only increase if United’s poor form continues.

“There was a feelgood factor for Ole at the start [of his tenure] and he needs three or four transfer windows,” the former United captain told Sky Sports.

"But if you're not getting results and lose matches, the pressure builds and builds. You won't get time.

"I have known Ole for a long time. I can tell looking at his eyes he is fuming and disgusted.

“When there are young players coming through, you have to remind them you are playing for Manchester United to win. People talk about development and finishing fourth, but don't forget about winning.

“God help me in our dressing room if someone mentioned finishing fourth as a great achievement. He would have been lynched, absolutely.

“A couple of weeks ago I'd have said I wasn't sure about the top four for United, but having looked at Tottenham and Arsenal over the last few weeks, I think United should be expecting to finish fourth. It's there for the taking. It's there for a lot of teams and United, with the players that they have, should be capable of doing it.

“That's where the pressure comes onto Ole because there has to be some sort of pressure on him. You can't be saying: 'We've got a two to three-year plan'. That's nonsense as well. You've got to win football matches consistently at big clubs.”

Untied welcome Rochdale to Old Trafford in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, before a Premier League clash with Arsenal next Monday.

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).