5 Manchester United stars who could suffer from Solskjaer's sacking

#3 Aaron-Wan Bissaka

Aaron Wan-Bissaka in UCL action for Manchester United

Manchester United's English right-back is undoubtedly one of the best one-on-one defenders and tacklers in the world. The problem is that there is little else to Aaron Wan-Bissaka than his slide tackles.

Wan-Bissaka arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2019 for a £50 million fee after being named Crystal Palace's Player of the Year for the previous season. Although he led the Premier League in tackles (129) in his first season with Manchester United, there's a sense that Wan-Bissaka has stagnated.

He remains largely the same player who arrived from London and has not been able to develop the offensive side of his game or improve his delivery from crosses. AWB's defensive positioning has also come under the scanner and his lack of awareness played a big role in Manchester United's group-stage exit from last year's UEFA Champions League campaign.

Despite Manchester United's awful defensive run of three clean sheets in their last 25 games, Wan-Bissaka has retained his place. Manchester United's only other option at right-back at the moment is Diogo Dalot, who could be on his way out in January. With the club already targeting Kieran Trippier, Wan-Bissaka's starting spot is anything but secure.

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#2 Harry Maguire

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was criticized for his recent celebration

The transfer fee of £80 million is promptly shoved in the faces of Manchester United supporters by rival fans at every opportunity. Not much needs to be said about 28-year-old Harry Maguire, Manchester United's club captain and the most expensive defender in football history.

It is fitting that Maguire's sending off at Watford on Saturday is likely to be the final nail in the coffin of Solskjaer's reign as Manchester United manager. The shambolic display came after an eventful international break where Maguire scored in successive games and invited a barrage of criticism with his celebration. It goes without saying that not a single critic has been silenced.

Manchester United's dismal clean sheet record - just three in their last 25 games - is proper relegation form. The fact that Maguire retained his place throughout that disastrous run despite numerous high-profile individual errors that led to his team conceding goals was baffling. Now his place in the XI and his future as club captain are in danger.

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#1 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has been the lone bright spot for Manchester United

Solskjaer's inevitable exit throws up massive questions for Manchester United talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. It would be unfair to blame the club's predicament on the Portuguese superstar.

If anything, he is the sole reason the Red Devils haven't already been eliminated from the Champions League. Ronaldo has scored in every UCL game the club has played this season (five goals in four games), including a couple of late winners and a last-ditch equalizer.

However, the tactical troubles thrown up by Ronaldo's surprise return to Old Trafford this summer are impossible to ignore. With one goal in his last seven Premier League games, something isn't quite right with Manchester United's main man.

Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani have all been shuffled or dropped to accommodate CR7. It was easier to ignore the lack of intensity and pressing when the goals were flowing. Now it's a different story.

Could a new manager be tempted to drop Cristiano Ronaldo? Will the aging 36-year-old be rested for more games than he'd like? Will Manchester United turn to their younger options? Only time will tell but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's exit doesn't offer any immediate answers for a key figure who has appeared increasingly frustrated in recent weeks.