The last chance of a trophy for Manchester United this season passed with defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup on Monday, and for the first time since 1987-1989 the club will go two consecutive seasons without a major trophy, domestic or European. But come this weekend, that will pale in comparison with the worries about Champions League qualification.

United’s fixture list for the final 10 games of the season looks far from straightforward, starting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and then Liverpool away the following weekend. They still have to play Chelsea and Everton away and Arsenal at home. Realistically Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Spurs are competing for the last two Champions League places, with Southampton the outsiders, and I have already said I feel that Liverpool are favourites for third.

Watching United at Old Trafford on Monday, I know what Louis van Gaal is trying to do with this team. I do like the concept. I just question whether he has the players to do it.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (Getty Images)

In recent weeks, Van Gaal has tried what I would describe as a more Barcelona-style approach to games. His centre-backs push wide, the full-backs push on and the team pass the ball. It has worked against the weaker teams but it is against the stronger sides, starting with Spurs and the high-pressing game they play, that you have to wonder whether it will be found out.

To play this way, you really need to be exceptional. Barcelona can do it because they have the players and they have been playing this way for years. United have spent around £220m in the last three transfer windows and yet I would question whether they have the players to operate this system.

Against Arsenal, there were times when United went more direct to Marouane Fellaini but not as much as might be expected. For what other reason was he in the team? At least it gave United a chance to play in their opponents’ half. It might be a bit prehistoric, and there is no chance that Van Gaal will want to do it long term, but if United keep playing the way they are, they will be found out against better sides.

The Spurs midfield, for example, has Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason at the centre, two players I like. They get to the ball quickly and close opponents down. If the aim is to pass around them, then you have to be very polished in that kind of possession-style game. My guess is that Michael Carrick will play against Spurs on Sunday, which will help United.

I understand what Van Gaal is trying to do. I like that he is playing with the wide players. I also know that as former players we cannot harp on about the old days for ever. Things change, although I believe that certain principles, of attacking, entertaining football, should always be protected. Like any other match-going fan – I have two season tickets for Old Trafford – I want to see the team play well and win. I just don’t think this system is the best for these players.

Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Show all 24 1 /24 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings David De Gea Without him United could have been humiliated. A save from Cazorla seemed frankly impossible but the Spaniard made it look merely ordinary. 8 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Antonio Valencia A horror show from the Ecuadorian. Woeful defending allowed Monreal through to score and his back pass then allowed Welbeck through for the second. 3 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Chris Smalling He never seems to look comfortable in the United defence. His loose pass early on to Sanchez summed up yet another careless performance. 5 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Marcos Rojo The least poor of a dreadful performance by the United defence, he seemed to be nervy around Welbeck, particularly when playing at centre-back. 5 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Luke Shaw Struggled to deal with the direct running of Oxlade-Chamberlain whilst also offering little of his usual attacking skill. Unsurprisingly he lasted just 45 minutes. 4 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Daley Blind Often found himself overrun as he looked to protect a leaky defence on his own, his role in the game diminished after Carrick’s arrival. 5 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Ander Herrera Made good runs early on, Fellaini couldn’t find him. Unfortunately he was hauled off at half-time as his colleagues gave him few opportunities. 5 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Angel Di Maria His best game for some time, with his left-foot deliveries causing chaos for Mertesacker. Then he ruined it all by grabbing the referee’s shirt. 5 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Marouane Fellaini Another big-money signing who shone, his physicality caused Arsenal’s defence all sorts of panic. But as a forward he lacks any real confidence in front of goal. 6 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Ashley Young United’s star outfield player’s contest with Bellerin was thrilling in which the Englishman often got the better, though his final pass was lacking. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Wayne Rooney Oozed confidence throughout, scoring a wonderful header and running powerfully at the Arsenal defence with menace. 7 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Best off the bench: Michael Carrick His passing radar kept United ticking and allowed them to dominate possession, even if that wasn’t enough to carry his side through. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Wojciech Szczesny A dropped cross in the first half could have been calamitous as throughout the match he seemed to be lacking the confidence usually associated with him. 5 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Hector Bellerin An early yellow card put a target on his back but he continued in his usual fashion, a pacey presence in attack and defence. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Per Mertesacker Implausibly gave away a corner early on as nerves looked to be getting the better of him, he struggled aerially against Fellaini and Rooney. 5 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Laurent Koscielny The Frenchman brought invaluable composure to the Arsenal defence, the rarity with which he ever had to step in a testament to his organisational skills. 7 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Nacho Monreal Exceptionally threatening going forward, he picked up a well-deserved goal. But the Spaniard was too timid around Di Maria, giving him space to cross. 6 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Francis Coquelin A quiet game from the powerful Frenchman but that is just what Wenger would have wanted. His tackling continues to be ferocious. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Santi Cazorla His range of passing was vital to Arsenal’s counters and he even displayed his recently discovered tackling ability when the visitors needed to defend. 7 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Enjoyed his duel with Shaw and his powerful running created Arsenal’s first. The visitors missed his explosiveness after he went off injured. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Mesut Ozil Peppered the contest with moments of pure class, his understanding of space and his colleagues’ movements brightened Arsenal’s play and found their first goal. 8 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Alexis Sanchez As ever the Chilean was full of energy and menace, his passes always seeming to put Arsenal in a more dangerous attacking position. 8 Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Danny Welbeck He even managed to make an open goal look difficult but nevertheless he got his goal and his energy caused problems for Rojo. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 1 Arsenal 2 player ratings Best off the bench: Aaron Ramsey His driving runs from deep gave United’s defence another problem to deal with. His presence on defence was invaluable when United chased an equaliser. 7 GETTY IMAGES

What I find hard to understand is how, in March, United are playing another new style with no evidence that they have the personnel to do it. Managers live and die by their recruitment. You buy the right players for the system that you believe will be successful. I don’t believe that the club have achieved that balance.

There must be concerns for Juan Mata, who has not started a league game since the Queen’s Park Rangers match on 17 January. Given the system Van Gaal seeks to use, I wonder why Mata does not play instead of Fellaini, especially given that United can be reluctant to knock the ball long.

I still believe that Van Gaal is the right man for the job. I don’t think he will change his mind about the way he wants the team to play. He is a stubborn man and that is no bad thing in football. But I am afraid to say that if he wants to play this Barcelona style then the club will have to go back into the transfer market this summer to get the players they need to do it.