United Board Must Share Blame

Manchester United's failure to back David Moyes sufficiently in the transfer market is one of the main reasons why the club have endured a disappointing season so far according to a representative from the United We Stand fanzine.

Steve Armstrong, one of the fanzine's writers, believes it is too easy to simply blame the manager for all the on-field troubles that United have endured this season.

Manchester United Chief Executive Ed Woodward has given two exclusive interviews in recent months to the fanzine, but Armstrong believes the club's hierarchy must accept some of the blame for the predicament United find themselves in.

"I can understand why people are a little worried," Armstrong told Sky Sports News. "I think there are a couple of things that United need to sort out and it's not just been down to the change in management.

"I don't think the club have backed Moyes as well as they could have done. The summer was a shambles in the transfer market and we're not just talking about this summer. Manchester United as a club have a net spend that matches Stoke City and Aston Villa over the last five years so United as a club have not done enough.

"I don't think it (the squad) needs huge amounts of change," he added. "I just think it needs a couple of really strong sensible additions, not panic additions like (Marouane) Feillani was with five minutes to go (in the transfer window).

"We need good, well thought out decisions and I think that might mean the summer is the best time to do that."

United have already lost six matches in the Premier League this season and with more than half the season already gone they find themselves in a disappointing seventh position.

Armstrong believes United must stay competitive insisting a fourth-place finish is an absolute must for the current champions.

"I think success for this season is for United to be competitive," he said. "If we win the League Cup or get to the League Cup final that might be seen as being competitive, or a good run in the Champions League.

"United are not going to win the title now unfortunately, but fourth place is still achievable.

"I don't class that as success but I think that's the best we're going to get out of this season. I think we're five points behind that and it looks like it's going to be a bit of a fight between Liverpool and a couple of teams including ourselves."