With United languishing 19 points off the pace amid talk of dressing-room unrest, Ed Woodward and the club's hierarchy finally lost patience and brought Mourinho's two-and-a-half-year tenure to an end.

United favourite and Molde boss Solskjaer emerged as a serious caretaker candidate after the Red Devils announced they were looking to appoint an interim manager for the remainder of the campaign, with Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino reportedly the number one target in the off-season.

And United's online team seemingly jumped the gun late on Tuesday when they uploaded a video – later deleted – to their official website, with the caption: "Solskjaer becomes our interim manager, 20 seasons after clinching the Treble with THAT goal at Camp Nou…"

Solskjaer spent 11 trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford, where the 45-year-old won six Premier League titles and two FA Cups before he retired in 2007.

The former Cardiff City manager – who returned to Norwegian outfit Molde for a second stint in charge after an unsuccessful spell in Wales – also famously scored the winning goal in United's memorable Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in 1999.