Another season in the European wilderness is a real possibility
Former Manchester United star Gary Neville believes Louis van Gaal should not be in danger of losing his job should the Red Devils fail to qualify for the Champions League.
The Dutchman replaced David Moyes last summer and was tasked with returning United to Europe's elite after last season's seventh-place finish in the Premier League, but Saturday's defeat at Swansea has dropped the Old Trafford club right in the thick of a battle with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton for third and fourth spot.
But Neville, who was one of the strongest critics of the move to dispense with Moyes after just one year in the job, does not want to see United embark on a third managerial search in three seasons, regardless of how the club finishes the campaign.
'Louis van Gaal should not be sacked [if Manchester United fail to make the top four],' Neville, now a pundit for Sky Sports, told UK radio station
Talksport.
'It would be a terrible season for Man United and Louis van Gaal. He would probably say it was a big failure because he knows his job this season. He has to get in the Champions League but, on the other hand, if he didn’t, no, you can’t just sack a manager one year and then sack another manager the year after. Where do you go from there?
'There has to be a level of continuity. I absolutely believe this time there will be continuity at Man United and they will stand by him even if he doesn’t finish in the top four and that’s the right thing to do.'
