Breaking news : Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns home as Manchester United prepare to sack manager

 Manchester United's players and staff returned

 to Manchester Airport at 7.45pm on Saturday

 after the defeat at Watford that will cost Ole 

Gunnar Solskjaer his job.

The Norwegian is to be sacked as United

manager after boardroom talks after the 

chastening 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road. A 

compensation package is now being thrashed

 out before Solskjaer's departure is officially 

announced.

Solksjaer drove home from the airport after 

United flew back home after yet another 

wretched afternoon into a disastrous season. 

The MEN understands Darren Fletcher is 

set to take temporary charge and he was 

pictured leaving the airport with goalkeeping

 coach Richard Hartis. Michael Carrick could

 assist Fletcher, who was in the dugout 

at Watford on Saturday afternoon

United's executives have little choice but 

to act after another inept performance from 

United. Facing a side who hadn't won a league

 game at home since the opening day of 

the season and began the day in 17th place, 

they were torn apart in the first half and 

were fortunate to only be two goals down.

Donny van de Beek gave them hope early 

in the second half, but Harry Maguire's red 

card ended any hopes of a comeback and

 Watford scored twice in injury-time to rub 

salt into the wounds.

Solskjaer approached the away end 

to apologise after the final whistle but was 

booed by the travelling supporters, while

 Bruno Fernandez got into a confrontation 

with fans as he tried to call for the blame 

to be apportioned to the players.

Many of United's players looked like they'd

 been in tears as they departed Vicarage 

Road before the flight back to Manchester.

Speaking after the game Solskjaer said 

he felt sympathy for United's fans as another

 season without a title challenge looms.

"I understand fans who follow the club through

 thick and thin," Solskjaer said. "They've 

been fantastic the last few years, it's a difficult

 period, we've had a hard time since Sir 

Alex left and fans who've been with us 

have been unbelievable, understood 

the situation."

David de Gea didn't hold back in his 

post-match interview as he labelled the 

defeat to Watford "embarrassing" and 

apologised to the fans.

"There's not much to say - it was embarrassing

 to see Man United play like we did today,"

 he told BBC Sport. "It's not acceptable - 

the way we were playing and doing things. 

It's easy to blame the manager or the staff

 but sometimes it's the players. We need 

to show much more than we are doing.

"Embarrassing first half - we could've 

conceded four goals in 45 minutes. It was 

hard to watch the team playing today - it 

was nightmare after nightmare. It's not 

acceptable.

"We are trying to give our best and fight 

for the team but for sure something is very

 wrong. You can see in the games - it's very

 low level, very poor. Sorry to the fans, 

once again.

"I've been in difficult moments and always

 believe in myself but there are difficult 

moments we have to be strong in mind 

and body. We are paid to play for United 

and to do better than that.

"This is not Manchester United or the way

 we ought to play - it's difficult to say more 

than that.

"It's been very bad for a long time - a club

 like Man United we have to be fighting for

 trophies and fighting for big things and to 

be honest we are far from that. Let's see - 

we have to keep working hard and stick

 together. We always say the same things

 but it's the truth - we have to look at 

ourselves and see where we can improve.