Former Manchester United full-back Phil Neville has encouraged the club to keep faith with manager Louis van Gaal.

A run of six games without a win in all competitions, coupled with criticism aimed at his possession-based playing style, has seen the Dutchman come under pressure in recent weeks.

The sudden availability of Jose Mourinho following his sacking by Chelsea last week has ramped up the speculation, with one report having claimed that the Portuguese boss has agreed a five-year deal to replace Van Gaal at Old Trafford.

However, with his managerial record in mind, Neville has stressed that United should stick with the current occupier of the hotseat.

"If you lose or don't get the right results in four or five games, there seems to be an obsession with getting rid of the manager. That is not the answer," the Valencia coach told BBC Sport.

"I don't think Manchester United need to turn into one of the clubs where if you hit a rocky patch or the form isn't quite there, let's continue to change the manager.

"United need to keep with Louis van Gaal. It needs faith in a man that has got a wealth of experience and won trophies in every major European country. You've got to put faith in Louis van Gaal."

Numerous reports have claimed that if United were to lose either of their next two games against Stoke City and Chelsea, Van Gaal will be relieved of his duties.