Solskjaer led United to a second-place finish in his first full season in charge, soring 73 goals, the most in a single campaign since Sir Alex Ferguson's era ended in 2013.
But the Norwegian was axed before Christmas the following season in 2021. After a sixth-place finish in his first season, United ended Solskjaer's two full campaigns in third and second place. They also reached five semi-finals out of six in cup competitions.
"He is absolutely far better than many people give him credit for," a club source told BBC Sport.
"An optimist to the limit," said a former colleague. "He sees good in everything.
"It was tiny things, like saying 'good morning, how are you doing?' Being human basically. Everything had been on a downer and was very flat. People weren't being themselves. He opened the door and got them to smile again.
"Ole was on the grass but he watched the coaching. In that sense, his methods were similar to Carlo Ancelotti.
"He was brilliant at man-managing the players. The culture was incredible. He was a confidante. The players wanted to play for him, and the style of football was what everyone wanted."