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Scott McTominay knows the knives are out for ­Manchester United after one of their worst starts to a Premier League campaign.

United go into the clash against Arsenal in 11th spot, already 13 points behind ­leaders Liverpool and with their top-four credentials lacking credibility.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the bookies’ second favourite ­Premier League boss to get the sack, with the former United striker having already been written off just weeks into his first full season in charge.

But midfielder McTominay, one of the few United players to have emerged with credit from the team’s unconvincing start, said Solskjaer must be given time to turn the club’s fortunes around.

“It takes time for a new manager coming in,” said ­McTominay. “It’s not all of a sudden just going to click straight into place.

“Once Sir Alex left, it was going to take time for the club to find the right manager, and I do believe that we have the right manager now in Ole.

(Image: PA)

“You see different eras in football teams – everybody goes through transitional stages and we’re going through one right now.”

Solskjaer is United’s fourth manager of the post-Ferguson era, following shortlived spells from David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, all with contrasting fortunes.

For McTominay, that recent policy of short-term fixes must be abandoned in favour of ­continuity, with Solskjaer backed by United – particularly through the tough times.

“It’s vital,” said McTominay. “You have to have that ­continuity at any club.

“In this day and age, clubs are just willing to sack a manager, without really thinking about the consequences for how that team is going to go forward in the next five or six years.

“Ole definitely has a plan for the short-term and long-term, and when you’ve got a guy like that, it’s important you stick by him.

(Image: Andy Stenning / Daily Mirror)

“There’s no better place to play your football than ­ Manchester United , when ­everything’s going well.

“But when it’s not going well, it’s something we have to learn from and look to the future, ­because you can’t dwell on past seasons and the different ­managers we’ve had.

“That’s the past and we have to look forward with Ole and see what we can do under him.

“Everybody has their own opinions in football. You can’t change people’s opinions, whether that’s on social media or when they come up and speak to you in person.

“Whatever people want to think about the current squad, I know what we’ve got and I know the quality we’ve got.

“I’m not worried at all. It’s going to take time for this club to get back to where it was, but we’ve certainly got a manger who’s willing to do everything to do that. It hurts seeing everything going on sometimes, and you just try to blank everything out. But it’s the results that hurt the most.

(Image: REUTERS)

“After West Ham , losing 2-0, it was a difficult feeling, one you can’t really put into words. It’s not a case of getting in your car, then you get home and everything’s fine, because it’s not.”

United’s decline has been compounded by the success of their local rivals Manchester City and arch enemies Liverpool, who have set themselves apart from the rest, domestically and in Europe.

McTominay acknowledged the success of both clubs, but said it can ultimately serve to strengthen United’s resolve to haul themselves out of their current malaise and back to the top.

“They’re doing well and that’s life,” said McTominay. “Sometimes teams can do well and other teams who’ve had amazing histories can drop off a little bit.

“But it’s up to us now as players to stick together and really push towards those standards we’ve set over different matches last season and seasons before.

“Getting that success back to Manchester United - there’s nothing more that I want than to see us right back at the top, where we belong.”