Ole Gunnar Solskjaer odds-on favourite to take charge at Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is favourite to take over at Manchester United after Jose Mourinho was sacked by the Old Trafford club on Tuesday morning.

Former Red Devils favourite Solskjaer was odds-on with most firms by 6pm on Tuesday evening following reports that he is about to take the reins for the remainder of the season.

Assistant manager Michael Carrick had initially attracted support but the club have confirmed that they wish to appoint a new manager before Saturday's fixture with Cardiff and bookmakers believe that Solskjaer will be in the dugout to face the club who he unsuccessfully managed for a brief spell in 2014.

Solskjaer, who also coached United's reserve side from 2008-11, has been managing Molde in his native Norway since 2015 and is best remembered for scoring the winning goal for the Red Devils in the 1999 Champions League final.

• We look at the list of potential candidates for the Old Trafford hotseat

French duo Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc were quoted among the early candidates to take over at Old Trafford but Zidane is out to 7-1 while Blanc is a best-priced 15-2 shot with Paddy Power.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Mourinho but the Manchester outfit would have to pay a sizeable fee to lure him away from north London.

Bet365 have a market on who will be United manager at the beginning of next season and make former Real Madrid boss Zidane their 7-4 favourite, Pochettino is 10-3 and Blanc is 4-1 with 45-year-old Solskjaer fourth in the betting at 6-1.

Mourinho had been the 15-8 favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave at the time of his dismissal.

A United statement said: "The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new manager."

Mourinho was 2-1 with Paddy Power on Monday to exit before the end of December.

United are sixth in the Premier League after their 3-1 defeat to leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

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