When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho at Manchester United in 2018, fans were elated.

The Man Utd legend-turned-manager got off to a strong start, registering six Premier League wins in a row, and the Red Devils briefly flirted with the possibility of a top-four finish and European glory for a few weeks in the spring of 2019.

A chant sung by Red Devils supporters – 'Ole's at the wheel'  – has become synonymous with the optimism which initially accompanied Solskjaer's appointment.

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It is another addition to the Manchester side's already impressive songbook  and Solskjaer will hope that he can live up to the expectations by returning the club to the heights of the English and European game.

What are the lyrics to 'Ole's at the Wheel'?

Ole's at the wheel,
Tell me how does it feel,
We’ve got Sanchez, Paul Pogba and Fred,
Marcus Rashford, a Manc born and bred,
Duh du, du du du du du!
Duh du, du du du du du!
(Repeat)

Sung to the tune of "Waterfall" by iconic Manchester band The Stone Roses , the chant originally paid tribute to players Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba, Fred and Marcus Rashford.

Sanchez left the club in 2020, joining Inter on a free transfer, and he will hardly have endeared himself to supporters after subsequently revealing that he wanted to leave Old Trafford after his first training session.

Now, following the acquisition of Jadon Sancho he has replaced the Chilean for a second version of the popular chant which has already been aired at the start of the 2021/22 season before the England international made his first start for the club. 

Ole's at the wheel,
Tell me how does it feel,
We’ve got Sancho, Paul Pogba and Fred,
Marcus Rashford, a Manc born and bred,
Duh du, du du du du du!
Duh du, du du du du du!
(Repeat)

What is the story behind 'Ole's at the Wheel'?

The origins of the iconic 'Ole's at the Wheel' song, however, will come as a surprise to some United fans, as it was originally crafted for ex-boss Mourinho.

Man Utd completed a shock 2-1 away victory against Juventus in the 2018-19 Champions League group stage, prompting supporters to gather outside the Allianz Stadium and chant the name of their former manager: "Jose's at the wheel!"

The Red Devils' form deteriorated under Mourinho towards the halfway point in the campaign, however, as did the relationship between the Portuguese boss and the club. Poor performances, off-pitch controversy regarding Pogba and a dire mood around the club led to Mourinho's dismissal following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in December 2018.

The Mourinho-specific chant never really took off with most United supporters amid the turmoil heading into the festive season, but everything changed when fan favourite and club legend Solskjaer was appointed manager on a then-interim basis and had the song dutifully changed for him.

United fans backed Solskjaer from the start, already having loved him from his days as a Red Devil player when he famously scored the last-minute winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Barcelona and helped the club win the historic treble.

From that moment onwards, he has enjoyed a cult-figure reputation at Old Trafford and etched himself permanently in the United history books. "Ole's at the wheel" was born.

Solskjaer's reign began with an impressive winning streak in the Premier League as well as a return to form to Pogba, who became so maligned under Mourinho. When Man Utd knocked Paris Saint-Germain out of the UCL round of 16 group stage, chants of "Ole's at the wheel" became stronger and stronger, with supporters reciting the words off the pitch as much as on.

Of course, the optimism encapsulated by the terrace tune has also been the subject of mockery by fans who are hostile to Manchester United and, when Solskjaer's team performs below expectations a tidal wave of tweets ironically declaring "Ole's at the Wheel!" springs forth.