Gary Neville has admitted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is starting to convince him he could be the next permanent manager of Manchester United - but has urged his former club not to be lulled into making an “emotional” decision.

Solskjaer won his first eight games in charge after replacing Jose Mourinho on an interim basis a week before Christmas, and while a 2-2 draw against Burnley in midweek ended his winning start, he has reduced the gap to the top four from 11 points to two in six weeks.

The Norwegian has won plaudits for overhauling the team’s morale, playing style and tactics as well as his man-management and goes in search of a ninth win at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, when United face Leicester City.

Neville said Solskjaer was now emerging as a genuine rival to Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino, whom he felt was “the natural choice” to succeed Mourinho permanently, and that the 1-0 victory over Spurs at Wembley last month convinced him that his former team-mate has something extra to offer.

“The win over Spurs changed my thinking a little bit,” the former United captain said. “He [Solskjaer] got it right and in the first half won the tactical battle.