Solskjaer: Manchester United fans know patience is needed

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United supporters are prepared to show patience with his long-term plans for the club.

United have won just three of 13 Premier League matches since their promising 4-0 victory over Chelsea on the opening weekend.

They could slide into the bottom half of the table if Jose Mourinho's Tottenham leave Old Trafford with all three points on Wednesday.

But the Red Devils boss claimed the fans he has spoken to understand the need to look beyond middling recent results.

"For me, I can just go on the evidence of the game days and supporters I've met," Solskjaer said.

"There are not many I've met that say: 'You've got to do something different.' They can see what we're trying to do.

"They know there's a lot of work being done behind the scenes – putting a culture into the team, what we're trying to do here, with what's happening here at Carrington.

"We just need results, that's the evidence for us. I just know I have a set of values and beliefs. The club have values and beliefs and I know that we have made these decisions together."

18 - Manchester United have won just 18 points in the Premier League this season; their fewest after 14 games of a top-flight campaign since 1988-89 (18), when they went on to finish 11th in the table. Stagnant. pic.twitter.com/aZd8DzxeGv
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 1, 2019

United drew at home to promoted Aston Villa on Sunday, a result that magnified the scrutiny on the team's development under Solskjaer.

The Norwegian stressed the value of adhering to a vision amid a turbulent period in the Premier League that has seen Unai Emery, Mauricio Pochettino and Quique Sanchez Flores lose their jobs.

"I'm not going to tell anyone how to run their football clubs, but I think everyone knows continuity is one of the keys of success," he said.

"Some clubs have more patience than others, some clubs don't have that time and continuity.

"For me, with Man United, we have a plan in place and hopefully we can get the results to speed it up. Sometimes it doesn't go at the speed you want to, but it's still going in the right direction.

"There are different aspects to this – it's on the pitch, it's behind the scenes, it's what's happening in the club."