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If this turns out to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last stand, how grimly appropriate that it should end with Manchester United trying to repeat one of those stoppage time miracles that were their modus operandi under previous management.

There was to be no Fergie time in the RB Arena, no repeat of the heroics in Paris that had fans chanting "Ole's at the wheel" 18 months ago. Indeed, United could not even muster up much of an approximation of the endgame bombardment that was typical of Sir Alex Ferguson teams that needed a win. 

Paul Pogba's cross might have taken a freak deflection of Nordi Mukiele to rescue a draw in the dying minutes but that reflected more on the instability with which Leipzig preserved this lead, as had been the case a week ago in Istanbul, than any great pressure United were applying to their hosts.

Solskjaer will not need reminding that it should never have come to this. Even after the disastrous performance away to Istanbul Basaksehir his side's destiny was firmly in their hands with two games to play. They had beaten Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes and obliterated RB Leipzig in Manchester. Both games were clear evidence of the gaudy attacking talent available to any United manager.

The reality is Solskjaer failed to deploy it in effective ways in the two most vital matches of the group stage. Having drawn themselves back into the game against PSG, United froze, their manager or their players unable to respond when Thomas Tuchel adjusted to a back three. Tonight the system was wrong from the outset, three center backs and little width against an RB Leipzig side operating without a number nine and pushing forward on the flanks.

United never really solved those tactical issues, they just threw more men forward in desperation. So Solskjaer could praise their "great spirit and comeback again" whilst failing to appreciate that the best teams do not need to consistently respond when their backs are against the walls.

Meanwhile the cultural reset that Solskjaer seemed to be bringing after Jose Mourinho's departure may not have been as deep-rooted as might have been hoped. After all, what did for his predecessor was public spats with key players such as Paul Pogba.

The build-up to this match was dominated by Pogba's agent Mino Raiola, towards whom Solskjaer fired a shot across the bows in his post-match press conference. "As soon as Paul's agent realizes this is a team sport and we work together the better," said the Manchester United boss.

After 18 months in the job there should be more to Solskjaer's United than making great but often forlorn comebacks whilst referencing the club's illustrious history. It is hard to make a convincing argument that there is.

Publicly the United hierarchy are bound to Solskjaer. In a fans forum meeting the minutes of which were published five days ago, executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said: "Of course, we recognize there's more hard work ahead to achieve the consistency needed to win trophies. 

"But we see positive signs on the pitch and the training ground that reinforce our belief in the progress being made by Ole, his coaching team and the players.

"We will continue to support Ole with a planned, long-term approach to recruitment, focused on the summer windows."

They are, however, long-term admirers of Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham manager whose specter hovers over every defeat. He would be open to holding discussions were the job to become available.

For all that this job might seem a poisoned chalice, such have been United's difficulties post-Ferguson, there remain building blocks that an elite head coach would relish: midfield and attack are stocked in abundance with talent, Dean Henderson promises to be a goalkeeper for the future even if David De Gea does not and the hierarchy are publicly committed to giving their management backing in the transfer market.

Woodward would dearly like to believe he can entrust Solskjaer with this framework. 

The Norwegian, plucked from Molde in United's hour of need, is Woodward's man, one for whom he made a leap of faith when he handed him a permanent contract of what would appear to be nothing more than a new manager bounce.

Sunday brings the Manchester derby and with it a chance to set right the defensive wrongs of this defeat in Germany, or perhaps just to paper over a few cracks. It will also pit Woodward against a Manchester City team that, for all their flaws of late, have been designed in a coherent manner to fit the needs of a manager with a proven track record of success with elite clubs. The contrast with the other boss in the Old Trafford dugouts could scarcely be sharper.