Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has told talkSPORT Louis van Gaal should not be sacked – even if his side fail to finish in the top four this season.

The Red Devils have played no part in any European competition this year, after finishing seventh last season, and the Dutchman has been given the target of a third place finish.

But Neville, who was a member of the United side who won the competition in 1999, does NOT believe Van Gaal should be ditched should they miss out again.

“Louis van Gaal should not be sacked [if Manchester United fail to make the top four],” he told Drivetime.

“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.”

Neville remains positive his former club can achieve their target this season, although he concedes they must improve their displays in the coming weeks.

“I still think Manchester United will finish in the top four, he added. “I think they will scrape in.

“At the start of the season I thought they’d finish third.

“There is a period in March where they have Arsenal in an FA Cup quarter-final, then they have Spurs the Sunday after and Liverpool after that. There is an international break and then they have got Aston Villa, Man City and Chelsea.

“That will be a big period but, actually, Van Gaal and Man United started the season really poorly and these big games came along and they seemed to grow.

“I’d like to think these games will inspire some of the bigger players at Man United. They need to step up their performances. There is no doubt about that.”