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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has defended Louis van Gaal 's approach and admitted it is similar to the football Sir Alex Ferguson presided over in his last three seasons.

United have failed to score in four of their last eight games but victory at Leicester on Saturday could see them go top of the Premier League outright.

Ferguson's last three titles were significant milestones that saw United match - and then surpass - Liverpool's record haul of 18, however United's football was mainly pragmatic and built on a stable defence.

Ferdinand was an integral part of that era and sees similarities with the current football on display at Old Trafford.

"When I was a player my main aim was to win a trophy first and win it playing exciting football second, and that seems to be Van Gaal’s too," Ferdinand told the Sun . "It wasn’t always exciting in my day at Old Trafford, either.

"Certainly during the final three seasons under Sir Alex it was more a case of us getting over the line than anything cavalier.

"However, there was certainly a lot more ambition and threat in our play than there is currently with United."

The midweek draw with PSV Eindhoven marked the fourth home game that featured booing this season and United have already exceeded last season's goalless haul of four games.

Ferdinand, though, feels United fans should have seen this coming.

"United knew what they were getting when they employed Louis van Gaal, so there can be no complaints now," he added.

"In many ways, why should there be, given where he has taken the club in 18 months? From seventh place to second and now, despite Wednesday’s goalless draw, they are within reach of the knockout stages of the Champions League.

"Given that the Man United hierarchy looked beyond the man’s CV, they knew they were getting a manager who played a precise, possession-based game.

"It is not a game in the best traditions of Old Trafford. Instead, he was someone who would stabilise the situation and put the club in with a chance of winning trophies again.

"That is what he is doing but, no, it is not very exciting."