Paul Scholes Backs Louis van Gaal at Manchester United Despite Struggles

Manchester United club legend Paul Scholes believes it's too soon to sack under-pressure manager Louis van Gaal, despite the club's run of disastrous results.

The British media has been particularly hard on the Dutchman, and Scholes was asked whether Van Gaal should go if United lost Monday's clash with Chelsea.

As shared by BT Sport Football, the former midfielder said Van Gaal "should be given the chance to turn it around:"

Per WhoScored.com, United are winless in their last seven matches and have yet to win a single match in December. They've dropped to sixth place in the Premier League standings during that span and were also eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.

As shared by Squawka Football, it looks like some fans have had enough:

While the results have been poor of late, the issues with Van Gaal go deeper. The Red Devils have looked like a bland and even boring side for most of the season and have mostly relied on close wins over lesser opposition.

The squad has seen much overhaul in the last 18 months, and Van Gaal has been allowed to spend millions on signings like Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Ander Herrera and Memphis Depay. None of those signings has had the desired effect, and two of those players―Di Maria and Falcao―are no longer with the club.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

A loss against Chelsea could be the breaking point, but Scholes doesn't seem to see things that way. It's never easy replacing a manager in the middle of the season, and with the January transfer window opening in a matter of days, the team needs a clear direction more than it needs a change at the managerial position.

United are still in the thick of the race for a Champions League ticket, and if the club believes Van Gaal can turn things around in the new year, it makes no sense blowing up the current structure in favour of a new manager who would need time to get things sorted.

Whether Van Gaal can turn things around is a question that can't be answered, but Scholes believes he should have the opportunity to try. It's hard to fault the club legend for backing the current boss, even if a large number of fans will disagree.  

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