Neil Humphreys: Three steps to heaven for Ole
Clashes against PSG, Chelsea and Liverpool can earn caretaker boss the long-term gig at Old Trafford
Three games. Three auditions. Three steps to heaven for a man who sat down with his son to watch Manchester United's Champions League draw on Norwegian TV back in December.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already a life-long fan. He'll become a full-time manager if he engineers decent results against Paris Saint-Germain (Champions League), Chelsea (FA Cup) and Liverpool (English Premier League.
| MAN UNITED | PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN |
A fortnight from now, the Red Devils could be basking in the glow of reaching the squeaky-bum stages of European football, after making progress in the FA Cup and consolidating their place in the top four by knocking Liverpool off their perch.
There's no managerial uncertainty after such a fortnight, no buyer's remorse on the part of the Glazers, no sense in crying over a lost Argentinian.
It's no way for Mauricio Pochettino. It's Norway for United.
But Solskjaer has to win those three games first. Or, at the very least, he must demonstrate an aptitude for the grand occasion.
Despite winning 10 of his 11 games, the interim manager needs to prove that he's a man for all seasons, rather than the silly season.
There was always going to be an extended honeymoon period after his appointment, the only bone of contention was its length.
After Jose Mourinho, Solskjaer was Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz, turning up all smiley and inspiring his young performers to dance.
Some say he's already passed the audition. Newspapers have reported on Solskjaer's meeting with club owner Avram Glazer after the 3-0 win at Fulham, suggesting their tete-a-tete was an informal offer and a formal announcement will be made at the end of the season.
It's possible. Solskjaer has collected 25 points from a possible 27 and United are playing with a gleeful joy associated with toddlers who are released to play in the sandpit because the storm has finally passed.
But the Glazers should be cautious. The absentee owners have taken the wrong advice on the wrong man three times in a row.
A permanent decision on Solskjaer's future requires the clearest of heads and cannot be made after a 3-0 win against Fulham, a team so accommodating it's a wonder Craven Cottage didn't lay out sun-loungers and cocktails.
Solskjaer isn't the Second Coming of club management just yet. Indeed, his rotations against Burnley almost backfired, resulting in a 2-2 comeback that arguably said more about United's new-found resilience than it did their tactical selections.
Certainly, they are happier campers, thanks in large part to their manager's gregarious, infectious personality and his inclusive approach in the dressing room.
But he was following Mourinho. He was a Lego movie coming on after a grim war epic. Of course everything was awesome.
Phil Jones admitted as much, saying the club were a "laughing stock" at the start of the season. He's bought into Solskjaer's revival, literally, putting pen to paper on a new contract, along with Anthony Martial and Ashley Young.
David de Gea and Marcus Rashford are apparently ready to do the same.
United are supremely confident. Now they must prove they can compete in a pressure cooker in three games that will define their season and Solskjaer's career.
Paul Pogba was a Rolls-Royce against the Cottagers, but has rolled over against superior opponents before. For both France and Juventus, he was accused of drifting to the periphery, a character flaw that certainly let him down under Mourinho, whatever their differences.
Solskjaer can't win with a half-hearted Pogba. PSG are without Neymar and Edinson Cavani, but their central midfield of Marquinhos and Marco Verratti will attempt to control possession.
Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic and Pogba must carry their recent EPL swagger into the Champions League. Pogba, in particular, terrified Fulham.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have a similar effect on defences, revelling in Solskjaer's insistence on swift, counter-attacking.
But Thomas Tuchel is no tactical novice and will tweak accordingly, forcing Solskjaer to rise to an occasion he has never encountered before.
Beating Fulham is always fun, but tense, unpredictable nights in Europe are a more accurate test of a manager's potential at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer knows that PSG represent his biggest obstacle because he understands the benefits waiting for him on the other side.
Victory builds momentum. A win against PSG would leave United looking like a runaway freight train, one that's unlikely to stop for either Chelsea or Liverpool.
And the Glazers would have no doubt whatsoever that they have the right man for the job.
MAN UNITED'S REMAINING FIXTURES:
Tomorrow: Paris Saint-Germain (Champions League, home)
Feb 19: Chelsea (FA Cup, away)
Feb 24: Liverpool (EPL, home)
Feb 28: Crystal Palace (EPL, away)
March 2: Southampton (EPL, home)
March 7: Paris Saint-Germain (Champions League, away)
March 11: Arsenal (EPL, away)
March 16: Man City (EPL, home)
March 30: Watford (EPL, home)
April 6: Wolves (EPL, away)
April 13: West Ham (EPL, home)
April 20: Everton (EPL, away)
April 27: Chelsea (EPL, home)
May 4: Huddersfield (EPL, away)
May 12: Cardiff (EPL, home)
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