Brandon Williams insists Man United should have never have sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he reveals which former team-mate checks in on him

Brandon Williams has launched a passionate defence of erstwhile Manchester United brag Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, insisting helium ne'er should person been sacked and that helium brought the existent 'DNA' of the nine backmost to Old Trafford.

In an interrogation connected Ben Foster's Fozcast podcast, the erstwhile United full-back besides revealed that David de Gea still checks successful connected him regularly.

He besides named Bruno Fernandes arsenic 'by a mile' the champion subordinate he's played with.

Williams, present 24, came done United's academy and was handed his first-team debut by Solskjaer successful 2019. He went connected to marque 36 appearances during his breakthrough play and was seen arsenic 1 of the club's brightest young stars.

'For me, he's been astir apt the champion I've worked under,' Williams said of existent Besiktas brag Solskjaer, who was sacked by United successful November 2021 aft 168 games successful the job.

'Even disconnected the pitch, speaking to you, giving you advice, particularly due to the fact that I was young arsenic good – helium was similar a truly bully mentor. I don't deliberation helium should person ever got sacked, to beryllium honest. I deliberation helium was going successful the close direction.'

'He knew the club, helium knew what it was about, helium knew the DNA of the club. That's what's been driven into maine since I was a young kid… the United way. I felt similar helium brought that.'

Williams revealed that it was United fable Patrice Evra who archetypal recommended him to Solskjaer. Evra was moving with United's U21s portion studying for his coaching badges and helium told the Norwegian: 'You request to springiness this kid a chance.'

That paved the mode for Williams to go a regular fixture successful the squad during the 2019-20 season, but his vocation has since taken a melodramatic downturn.

Released by United past summertime aft the expiry of a £65,000-a-week contract, Williams is presently without a nine and awaiting sentencing for a unsafe driving offence that could onshore him successful situation for up to 2 years.

He crashed his car astatine 99mph successful Cheshire past August, conscionable days earlier joining Ipswich Town connected loan, with footage showing him with a balloon successful his rima portion accompanied by a young woman.

The tribunal heard that his driving was 'erratic' and his velocity 'grossly excessive', with prosecutors saying it was 'fortunate' cipher was earnestly injured. He pleaded blameworthy past period and is owed to beryllium sentenced connected May 9.

The clang was the latest successful a drawstring of motoring offences for Williams, who has racked up 30 punishment points and served 2 driving bans.

Despite his troubles, Williams says helium has received enactment from erstwhile team-mates, including legendary ex-United goalkeeper De Gea.

'He inactive messages me,' Williams explained. 'He ever makes definite I'm good.

'Honestly, David is top. He's specified a bully guy. Just his euphony [is bad]! He loves stone music, due loud. But he's truthful sound.'

Williams was portion of a dressing country packed with endowment successful 2019, and helium believes United made a mistake by dismantling that radical excessively rapidly - peculiarly by moving connected from players similar Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford.

'That squad was quality,' Williams added. 'That was the foundation. You tin physique connected that team… I deliberation they got escaped of excessively galore of those players.

'Scott would've been a important portion of this squad close now. A due spine of the team. I don't truly deliberation I tin sanction anyone successful that squad close present that's similar a Scott, similar a Marcus.'

Williams reserved peculiar praise for ex-United midfielder Paul Pogba - who has been retired of enactment since 2023 aft serving a prohibition for a doping offence - and existent Red Devils skipper Fernandes.

'I emotion Bruno,' Williams beamed. 'Bruno's literally… he's the champion subordinate I've played with by a mile.

'When I'm saying "played with", I mean connected a accordant ground – like, I played a fewer games with him. Pogba's successful determination arsenic the best, successful grooming and worldly similar that. He tin bash everything – but I conscionable played with Bruno more.

'And Bruno, the mode helium conscionable conducts himself disconnected the transportation and connected the transportation arsenic good – like, however helium speaks to you... Everyone ever moans astatine him for throwing his hands up, moaning astatine players – that's conscionable him. That's however helium gets his points crossed to players, and he's a precise bully leader.'

On Pogba, Williams went on: 'He's got everything. If you had to physique a midfielder, you're gathering idiosyncratic similar him. Yeah, I'm excited for him to beryllium backmost and to spot however helium gets on. It would've been a pugnacious clip for him.

'I was really distant successful America – and this was astir 2 years agone – and I spoke to him. He was conscionable asking however I was and worldly similar that.

'He's fundamentally from Manchester – helium was present from specified a young age, helium knows it, helium knows what benignant of radical we are arsenic Mancunians. Even with Jesse [Lingard] and with Marcus [Rashford] and everything, truthful helium gets that broadside of the banter and worldly similar that. So I tin really speech to him connected a superior level and a jokey level.'

Williams besides reflected connected the beardown dressing-room civilization nether Solskjaer and the enslaved among the squad during his clip successful charge, crediting that situation for helping young players settee into the archetypal team.

Williams joined United astatine the property of seven. He made 51 elder appearances for the nine earlier leaving arsenic a escaped agent.

His departure came 4 years aft helium signed a declaration worthy much than £3million per season.