Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho as interim manager at Manchester United until the end of the season.
Mourinho was sacked on Tuesday and Solskjaer confirmed as the interim boss yesterday in a deal that effectively sees him join on loan from Molde. Solskjaer touched down in Manchester last night as he begins work ahead of the game with Cardiff on Saturday night.
United were in crisis under Mourinho and are sixth in the Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool and 11 back from the top four.
And Ed Woodward decided to pull the trigger before appointing the former striker to save the season. Mauricio Pochettino is the top target for the job in the summer if he can be persuaded to leave Tottenham.
But Solskjaer has been handed the reins until the summer and will meet the squad for the first time today as their manager.
He is expected to raise moral and help convince the likes of Paul Pogba, David De Gea and Anthony Martial to stay at the club. “Manchester United is in my heart and it’s brilliant to be coming back in this role,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club.”
Woodward is hoping for an uplift in form as well as in feeling at the club. He believes Solskjaer knows the club inside out and can be the man for the moment. “Ole is a club legend with huge experience, both on the pitch and in coaching roles,” he said
“His history at Manchester United means he lives and breathes the culture here and everyone at the club is delighted to have him and Mike Phelan back. “We are confident they will unite the players and the fans as we head into the second half of the season.”
Solskjaer played for United for 11 years, scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in 1999.
He managed the reserves after retiring before taking over at Molde and has also worked as Cardiff manager, but was sacked after nine months.
Solskjaer eventually returned to Molde and has down well in Norway, although hasn’t won a trophy in his second spell with the club.