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After interim manager Michael Carrick continued his fast start at Manchester United on Sunday, another contender for the job has a different task at hand. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was linked with an Old Trafford return a little over four years since his sacking but the club ultimately opted for Carrick.

That decision has immediately borne fruit with Carrick overseeing Premier League wins against Manchester City and Arsenal. Solskjaer remains without a managerial job since leaving Besiktas earlier this season but will be keeping a close eye on one of his former club's rivals this week.

The Norwegian has taken on a new role this season, serving as a UEFA technical observer for the Champions League. The role will take him back to England this week, with Solskjaer in position for Liverpool's match at home to Qarabag.

He'll be watching another under-pressure manager, with Arne Slot feeling the heat after Liverpool's weekend defeat at Bournemouth saw them end the gameweek out of the top four. Things are more promising for the Merseyside club in Europe, though, where a win would ensure they avoid an extra play-off round by finishing in the top eight in the Champions League table.

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Solskjaer is one of more than 20 current and former players and coaches entrusted by UEFA for the technical observer role, Others include former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, ex-England boss Gareth Southgate and current Portugal manager Roberto Martinez.

"Instead of just watching the game for a specific reason – in my capacity as a national-team coach – you are watching it in a more holistic way and appreciating the development of the game and the competition itself," Martinez said of the role. "It could be different types of performance – from young players, for example – or the way the competition is getting tougher physically and cuter tactically with the new trends within the competition."

Per UEFA's description: "During each game, the designated UEFA Technical Observer collaborates with UEFA's Performance Analysis team to gather video and data. The UEFA Technical Observers receive footage from various angles, including broadcast, tactical and high-behind views, which they can review either live at the stadium or remotely."

Each observer is also tasked with selecting the player of the match for each game they are assigned to, while the group will come together to determine the player, young player, team and goal of the season. Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele was named player of the season in 2024/25, with Manchester City midfielder Rodri - in 2022/23 - the last player to win the award while playing for an English club.

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