Solskjaer must demand experienced players in January, says Neville

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should look to be proactive in the January transfer window, according to a former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has put faith in a number of young players across his 11 months in charge, but Neville has urged him recruit more experienced heads if he is to save his job.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must be "selfish" and push to sign experienced players in the January transfer window, according to club legend Gary Neville.

The Red Devils sits ninth in the Premier League table following a thrilling 3-3 draw away at Sheffield United, leaving it nine points adrift of the top four.

Solskjaer has delivered just four wins from 13 league matches this term and pointed to a lack of experience for his side's latest setback at Bramall Lane.

The Norwegian has put faith in a number of young players across his 11 months in charge, but Neville has urged his former teammate to recruit more experienced heads if he is to save his job.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to go and spend the club's money in January, for himself," Neville said during Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show. "He has to go and spend the club's money on two or three experienced players, he must demand it.

"He's not going to be there to see the fruits of the labour that he's putting in, the foundations he's laying, because there's a lot of good young players out on that pitch, that I actually enjoy watching."

Neville, who won eight Premier League titles in his career, added: "Ole's going to have to be selfish, he's going to have that ruthless streak that a [Jose] Mourinho has, or [Antonio] Conte has, and spend the club's money to protect himself.

"Put two or three experienced players in amongst that group and they could come alive."

Manchester United battled back from two goals down to lead 3-2 on Sunday, only for Oli McBurnie to score a late equaliser for the hosts, which Neville claimed further proves his point about a lack of leaders in the team.

"I've come to conclude two things. One, they haven't got senior players setting the standard of them, letting them know the expectation of what is required in a football team.

"They haven't got the leaders and the people around them. When I first broke into the team, I had people who set the standard.

"There is one more big thing - they don't know how to approach a Premier League away game, they don't understand that it's different playing at Old Trafford than it is away from home and they haven't got the experience or maturity."

Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham last week and has been strongly linked as a contender to replace Solskjaer, but Neville is unsure whether it is time to make a change.

"Personally, two and a half years ago when Louis van Gaal got sacked by Manchester United, I said Mauricio Pochettino should have been appointed before Jose Mourinho, so I can't sit here now and say he won't be the right person for the football club.

"But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed eight months ago, the club have taken a different track."