Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Man Utd back boss as quarterly financial results were published early in error

Manchester United remain “absolutely committed” to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, says executive vice president Ed Woodward.

Solskjaer came under heavy pressure following consecutive defeats to Arsenal and Istanbul Baseksehir.

But Woodward said the club “remains absolutely committed to the positive path we are on with Ole”.

United are in 14th place in the Premier League, having won three and lost three of their first seven games.

The electronic publisher issuing United’s regulatory statements took a test Thursday and did not correctly publish the figures. Their release wasn’t scheduled until Friday lunchtime GMT.

United previously said it would not hold an investor conference call with the results, released three weeks after the 2019-20 final results were released.

Total revenue was £ 109 million, down 19.5% from the same quarter last year.

Revenue on the day dropped significantly as matches continued to be played behind closed doors, but United still generated £ 1.7 million, through a combination of subscription sales and rental income from property owned around at Old Trafford.

Broadcasting revenue increased following Premier League matches played in July, while commercial revenue fell 25.7% to £ 59.7 million.

The company will pay a dividend of $ 0.09 (6.86 pence) on the stock on January 7, 2021.

Woodward added: “Although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause significant disruptions, we are optimistic that the recovery and normalization phase is gradually coming into sight.

“The club’s resilience and strong business continue to provide a solid foundation and give us confidence in our long-term prospects beyond the pandemic, both on and off the pitch.”