MX23RW : Friday, May 17 18:42:35| >> :60:2616:2616:

Ed Woodward: 'Manchester United remain absolutely committed to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer'

Mauricio Pochettino has been widely linked with the Norwegian's role at Old Trafford.

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward insists the club remain "absolutely committed" to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Woodward's words of support for the Norwegian were contained in the Premier League club's first-quarter financial results, which were released a day early in error and show an operating loss of £27.1million.

Solskjaer's position at Old Trafford has come under increased scrutiny following an unconvincing start to the season, with Mauricio Pochettino widely linked to the job.

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has publicly backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has publicly backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Martin Rickett/PA)

United sit 14th in the table following disappointing home defeats to Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Arsenal, which were compounded by a shock Champions League loss to Turkish club Istanbul Baseksehir.

"On the pitch, while there is still hard work ahead to achieve greater consistency, we remain absolutely committed to the positive path we are on under Ole as the team continues to develop," said Woodward.

Financial details were mistakenly made public on Thursday evening due to a blunder from the US-based publisher of United's regulatory statements.

Results for the 2021 fiscal first quarter – ended September 30 – show United operated at a loss of £27.1m. The club made an £11m profit during the same quarter last year.

Overall revenue was £109m, a drop of 19.5 per cent.

With fixtures being played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, United's revenue continues to be adversely affected.

Matchday revenue dropped dramatically, falling 92.3 per cent from £22.1m to 1.7m, while commercial revenue plummeted 25.7 per cent to £59.7m.

However, broadcasting revenue rose – from £32.9m to £47.6m – as a result of the delayed 2019-20 Premier League campaign being completed in July.

Premier League matches, including at Old Tafford, continue to be played behind closed doors
Premier League matches, including at Old Tafford, continue to be played behind closed doors (Michael Regan/PA)

The club's net debt stands at £440.6m, a 14.6 per cent rise from last year's 384.5m.

Shareholders will receive a divided of 0.09 dollars per share (£0.069).

Woodward added: "While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause significant disruption, we are optimistic that the recovery and normalisation phase is gradually coming into view.

"The club's resilience and our strong commercial business continue to provide a solid foundation and gives us confidence in our long-term outlook beyond the pandemic, both on and off the pitch."

ID:422071: cacheID:422071:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6925:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
A general shot of a Premier League football ahead of the Premier League clash between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016
Read Next:
Former England and Man United forward Albert Quixall passes away at the age of 87
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City37277393336088
2Arsenal37275589286186
3Liverpool372310484414379
4Aston Villa37208976562068
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs371961271611063
6Chelsea371791175621360
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle371761481602157
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd37176145558-357
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham371410135971-1252
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton371212135560-548
11Bournemouth37139155365-1248
12Crystal Palace371210155258-646
13Wolverhampton WanderersWolves37137175063-1346
14Fulham37128175159-844
15Everton37139153949-1040
16Brentford37109185461-739
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3789204766-1929
18Luton TownLuton3768235081-3126
RBurnley3759234076-3624
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd37372735101-6616


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!