Be patient with Van Gaal - Fergie

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has sprung to the defence of Louis van Gaal and urged fans to be patient.

Despite being only a point off the top four in sixth place and a replay away from a Wembley FA Cup semi–final, United exited the Champions League after the group stage, were knocked out of the Europa League by arch–rivals Liverpool and lost to Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup.

There has been growing unrest among large sections of the support about Van Gaal's management, but Ferguson, who still attends almost every match, insists they should not be too quick to judge.

"It is dead easy to be critical," he told Sky Sports. "You have to be realistic about some things – the number of injuries he has had: Phil Jones has played only seven games this season and Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw are big losses. It doesn't matter which team you are, if you have players missing of that calibre it has to have an impact.

"The other aspect which is always easy to forget there are also five new players in their first season, and two, Anthony Martial and Memphis Depay are still young.

"You have to have some patience being a Manchester United fan; they have shown that over the years; in Matt Busby's time and in my time.

"For 150 years of history it is worth having a couple of years on the quiet side of success because they will always come back and come back strong."

United are at home to Everton on Sunday (4pm kick-off), looking to build on their derby success by seeing off a Toffees side who have lost three of their last four outings.