Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be given the job permanently if his side beat Liverpool on Sunday.

The Red Devils put in a highly polished display to knockout Chelsea in the FA Cup last night, and Merson said he’d be surprised if the Norwegian isn’t handed the reins following a win over their local rivals next weekend:

“To bounce back like that, I see them going into this game on Sunday with every chance of beating Liverpool. I think if Liverpool come away with anything, it’s a good result.”

“That tells me Ole is doing something right at the moment. If they beat Liverpool, I’d be shocked if he didn’t get it then.”

The defeat to Paris Saint-Germain aside, the performances under Solskjaer have been hugely impressive. Both defensively and offensively, United look a different team to the one that lost at Anfield back in December.

Of course, Solskjaer shouldn’t get all the credit. The work of assistants Mike Phelan and Kieran McKenna cannot be underestimated. Along with the manager, they have transformed a demoralised squad into a team well capable of beating anyone, in the space of a couple of months.

They could increase their standing even further if they manage to derail Liverpool’s title challenge in their next game at Old Trafford.