Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals Alex Ferguson chat after Liverpool defeat

Solskjaer and Ferguson spoke while the former United manager attended a commercial event

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with ex-boss Sir Alex Ferguson (Getty Images)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that he spoke briefly with Sir Alex Ferguson this week in the wake of Manchester United’s humiliating 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, as he vowed to emulate his former manager's fightbacks of old.

Ferguson visited United's Carrington training base twice this week, days after United's heaviest-ever Old Trafford defeat to their fiercest rivals, with pressure mounting on Solskjaer.

While the former United manager attended for a suit fitting on Tuesday and did not speak to Solskjaer, the pair had a brief conversation when he returned the following day for a commercial event.

Despite intense scrutiny on his position, the Norwegian will be in charge for Saturday's Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur, one of three games seen as critical to his chances of remaining in post.

Ferguson infamously came close to being dismissed in January 1990 before Mark Robins' late goal in a FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest rescued the Scot, who on to win 38 trophies over the following 23 years and become United's greatest-ever manager.

When asked whether he had spoken with Ferguson and whether he believes he can survive in the role, Solskjaer said: "Yes, on both accounts, if that's short and sweet.

“Joking apart, we had a commercial day, and Sir Alex came to do some commercial stuff and I met him and spoke to him for a brief moment because he was in there with Cristiano [Ronaldo].

“I've been through some very bad moments here as a player and when I've been a manager I've dealt with setbacks.

“There probably have been two or three crises, at least, since I became the manager here and one thing I can say is I'll always give it a good shot and fight back."

Solskjaer compared United’s performance against Liverpool to that of a punch drunk boxer, having conceded the first of the five goals as early as the fifth minute.

“Of course, you have to hold hands up and that performance is not acceptable, and we have to look at why it was not acceptable,” he said.

“I use the analogy: it felt like we were a boxer being punch drunk, knocked down in the first four minutes or first round. We had a chance, we conceded a goal, we wanted to sort it out, and went a bit too open and too frantic against a good team.

“You see Tyson Fury when he gets knocked down a few times, it's remarkable how he gets up. We got up too early and tried to sort it. Minds have to be better but we've had to look at different things as well, the communication has to be direct.”