The knives were already out for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before Manchester United’s defeat by Newcastle United, but now it seems former players are getting in on the act.

After the defeat, Solskjaer spoke about needing to sort his players’ heads out, but that analysis wasn’t enough for ex-striker Robin van Persie.

‘As a player, what does that mean, “sorting the players’ heads out”… what does that mean?’ he said.

‘As a manager, when your team is low in confidence, get them up. When your team is too high in confidence, when they are becoming a little bit too much, you have to get them back to the middle again.

‘At the moment, based on this interview, and based on what I’ve seen in the game, I’m not sure if he really knows how to find the buttons there.’

So far, Solskjaer has enjoyed good support from Old Trafford’s old guard, with the likes of Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs all directing their ire elsewhere.

Giggs has said he needs four or five more signings, Keane has called for patience, while Neville launched a very pointed attack at the United hierarchy in saying they are ‘getting the pain they deserve for poor decisions at board level’.

However, it’s impossible to ignore the mounting pressure that Solskjaer is under – a world away from the excitement the Norwegian engendered when he took the job in December last year and went on to get 32 points from his opening 13 games.

Bookmakers have already made their minds up, slashing odds on Solskjaer being the next manager to get the sack, with rumours that another under-fire Premier League manager – Mauricio Pochettino – may be in the frame to replace him.