Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Take Note! Here's How Former Manchester United Managers Fared In Their Opening Games

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Take Note! Here's How Former Manchester United Managers Fared In Their Opening Games
14:09, 19 Dec 2018

Manchester United's brand spanking new interim manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is currently preparing for his very first match in charge of the Red Devils, which just so happens to be against the last club he managed in the Premier League, Cardiff City.

United won only one of their final six league games under former boss Jose Mourinho, but the hierarchy hopes that the change in the dugout produces a new manager bounce that can eventually spring the club back into the top-four.

Here at The Sportsman we've had a flick through the history books to discover how the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Ryan Giggs, Louis van Gaal, and Mourinho got on in their first fixtures in charge of Man Utd.

Here we go...

Jose Mourinho

Mourinho's two-and-a-half-year spell in charge may have ended with a dismal defeat to Liverpool, but back in August 2016 he roared out of the blocks, winning each of his opening four matches as Man Utd manager, in what looked to be the start of a stunning tenure.

The first of those wins, a 2-1 triumph over defending champions Leicester, resulted in a trophy as United lifted the Community Shield. The Red Devils would then beat Bournemouth 3-1 in Mourinho's opening Premier League game, followed by victories over Southampton and Hull.

Louis van Gaal

Two years earlier Louis van Gaal began his reign as Man Utd manager with a shock 2-1 defeat to Swansea at Old Trafford, as the club suffered their first opening-day home loss since 1972.

In fact, the Dutchman failed to win any of his first four matches, drawing with Sunderland and Burnley, either side of a shambolic 4-0 hammering at the hands of MK Dons.

Ryan Giggs 

Ryan Giggs may not have been the permanent Man Utd manager - not yet anyway - but he did oversee four games as caretaker in between the sorry spells of David Moyes and Van Gaal.

The Welshman stepped up to the plate back in April 2014, opening up with a 4-0 rout of Norwich. However, his troops then fell to a 1-0 loss at home to Sunderland, before beating Hull, then he ended his short stint with a 1-1 draw at Southampton, a match which produced this simply staggering pre-match teamtalk...

David Moyes

Like Mourinho, Moyesy also enjoyed a trophy-winning start to life at Man Utd after his troops beat Wigan 2-0 in the Community Shield. 

The Scot then roared to a 4-1 win at Swansea in his maiden  league match, before playing out a goallesss draw against Chelsea, then by a 1-0 reverse at Liverpool. Less than eight months later he was sacked.

Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson endured a poor start to his hugely successful tenure, losing 2–0 to Oxford United in November 1986. Up next was a goalless stalemate against Norwich City, while his first triumph was a 1-0 win at home to QPR.

However, the greatest manager in Premier League history actually lost his, and United's, opening game in the competition, as a Brian Deane brace gave Sheff Utd a 2-1 win back in August 1992. United would then lose 3-0 at home to Everton, draw 1-1 against Ipswich, before finally carving out their first win over Southampton at the Dell.

United would go on to lift the trophy that season, one of 13 league titles they won under the tutorship of Fergie.

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