Come on in and join the club! Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal looks like "a defeated man" according to Premier League record scorer Alan Shearer.

The Dutchman suffered his latest setback as United slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon - their SEVENTH league defeat of the season.

That leaves them still six points off the Champions League spots, but with Southampton, West Ham and Liverpool breathing down their necks.

"We needed to win this game because of the big gap between the top four and we want to be there," said Van Gaal afterwords. "Now it shall be difficult."

The former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss increasingly looks as though he's living on borrowed time and according to Shearer, the fight has gone from the United boss.

In pictures - Sunderland 2-1 Manchester United:

READ MORE: Wayne Rooney on United's top four hopes

Writing in the Sun, Shearer says: "I have admired Louis van Gaal's resilience during tough times over the last three months. He has defended his players and his own philosophy. He has also tried to convince anyone who will listen that problems within Manchester United are a mere media fantasy, despite the evidence - and I am afraid the evidence during Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Sunderland was damning.

"Afterwards I did not see a manager ready to fight. I did not see that same resilience. I saw a defeated man. I expected him to come out fighting, but there seems to be no fight left."

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

READ MORE: Van Gaal - I had to convince board to sign Schweinsteiger

United can now put their league woes to one side in the coming seven days, as they return to European and FA Cup action.

Firstly, the Red Devils meet Danish club Midtjylland - conquerors of Southampton - in the Europa League. Then they head to Shrewsbury in the FA Cup fifth round next Monday.

And Shearer reckons that the weight attached to those matches tells you just how far United have fallen.

"Van Gaal was like a man wanting to be put out of his misery," added Shearer. "It has come to something when Midtjylland and Shrewsbury are important ties. That's where they are at right now. It is not a good place."

In pictures - Louis van Gaal arrives for training on Monday: