Jamie Carragher: 'Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will never be at Jurgen Klopp's level'

By Sammy Wynne | 22 October 2021

Carragher: 'Solskjaer will never be at Klopp's level'

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claims that Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will never be at the managerial levels of Jurgen Klopp.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has claimed that Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will never be at Jurgen Klopp's level of management.

Solskjaer and Carragher have already had an altercation this week after the Liverpool legend criticised Solskjaer's ability as a manager, and the Norwegian responded strongly to Carragher's comments.

Now, ahead of the eagerly-anticipated clash between Man United and Liverpool on Sunday, Carragher has continued to question Solskjaer and believes that the Red Devils boss will never be on the same level as Klopp, Thomas Tuchel or Pep Guardiola.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Carragher wrote: "John Terry was taller than me and was always going to be better in the air. Rio Ferdinand was quicker and stronger. I maxed out with what I had... but nothing I could do was ever going to supplant the two of them. It's the same with Solskjaer up against Klopp, Guardiola and Tuchel.

"He's never going to be at the level of the three managers he's got to beat. He's never going to be them. He's never going to have that gravitas.

"He hasn't got the presence of Klopp at Liverpool, he's hasn't got the trophies behind him that Guardiola has at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City so that when he speaks the players hang off his every word.

"What intensifies the spotlight is Tuchel coming in. Chelsea were where United have been in the last two or three years but they brought in a manager who has taken them up to that Liverpool and City level really quickly."

Carragher also referenced Solskjaer's handling of Paul Pogba: "It was a big decision but he and United should be preparing for life without Pogba, who could easily leave at the end of the season.

"I thought it was strong management from Solskjaer to omit him after the player's comments post-Leicester about something needing to change because it's a decision that's largely been fudged until now."

Liverpool travel to Old Trafford to face Man United on Sunday, with the home side unable to leapfrog their visitors even with a win this weekend.