Ed Woodward, Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman, faces a decision over Louis van Gaal which will not only affect the club’s prospects of success this season but also Old Trafford’s hopes of once again becoming the heart of the action during the remaining years of this decade.

Does Woodward have a strategy for life with, and after, Van Gaal, or is he a man without a plan?

The answer to that remains a mystery but there has been little evidence in recent months of any clear direction being pursued by the man at the top.

After two and a half years of drift and expensive failure since Woodward succeeded David Gill as United’s most senior official, the inability of both Van Gaal and David Moyes to breathe new life into the team of champions left behind by Sir Alex Ferguson is as much down to him as his two managers.

Now he must decide whether to appoint a third, be it Jose Mourinho, Ryan Giggs or A N Other, with Van Gaal having lost the faith of the club’s supporters following Saturday’s dismal 1-0 defeat at home to Southampton.

Woodward stuck by Van Gaal when he could have dismissed the Dutchman during an awful December, which brought no victories and Champions League elimination. Perhaps there was an element of wanting to display the same resolve and backing for Van Gaal which Ferguson received from Martin Edwards during his own winter of discontent during the 1989-90 campaign.

But Ferguson was making progress, the youth system was beginning to bear fruit and he emerged from the storm.

Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings David de Gea Helpless to deal with Southampton's winning goal. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Phil Jones Looked to spark attacks from the back. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Chris Smalling Unable to build on a strong first half display. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Daley Blind Returned to the team as part of a three-man defence and failed to convince. 5 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Michael Carrick Often required to help out his defence at the vital moment. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Antonio Valencia Supplied some testing crosses from the right that his teammates failed to capitalise on. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Juan Mata Looked as threatening as ever on the ball, his shooting left little to be desired. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Wayne Rooney Dropped deep into midfield in order to make something happen without success. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Luke Shaw Booed by the away supporters on his reunion with Southampton, he performed well before being replaced. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Robin Van Persie Cut a frustrated figure, he was booked for a bad challenge before being substituted. 5 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Angel Di Maria United's danger-man was guilty of trying to do much before he was subbed. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Fraser Forster Struggled with his kicking at times, but was reliable in dealing with United's crosses into the box. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Nathaniel Clyne Displayed a willingness to get forward from the opening minute, and never stopped running. 8 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Jose Fonte A rock at the heart of the Southampton defence, even after the loss of his defensive partner. 9 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Toby Alderweireld Looked a dominant presence back in central defence until his early injury blow. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Ryan Bertrand Showed great energy in standing up well to United's attacks down the right. 8 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Steven Davis Calm in possession, and kept Southampton ticking over in midfield. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Victor Wanyama Lacked the composure of his teammates on the ball, but crucial to breaking up the opposition's attacks. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Morgan Schneiderlin A classy performer in midfield, he was culpable of a few needless fouls in dangerous positions. 8 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings James Ward-Prowse Excellent passing and responsible for a number of dangerous set pieces. 8 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Graziano Pelle Worked hard and pressurised from the front. 7 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Eljero Elia Showed pace and eagerness on debut before his removal for Tadic. 6 GETTY IMAGES Manchester United 0 Southampton 1 player ratings Dusan Tadic Took his time coming on, but proved to be the match-winner with a cool finish. 8 GETTY IMAGES

Van Gaal, in contrast, walked into one last month and shows no sign of being able to escape it.

His football is grim. A run of no first-half goals for United at Old Trafford dating back to September says everything about the risk-averse, stultifying philosophy being imposed on the club’s players.

Woodward has insisted that Van Gaal will remain at the helm until his contract expires in June 2017, but that in itself is a naïve position to take ahead of a pivotal summer for the club.

If United have a plan and are taking a strategic view of the summer transfer market, they will realise that it should be one dominated by themselves and Manchester City.

Real Madrid are out of the game, having been issued with a 12-month transfer ban by Fifa, while Barcelona’s financial problems mean they are more likely to sell than buy. Bayern Munich cannot compete with United or City in terms of transfer fees, while Arsenal will not go head-to-head with either on fees or wages. Chelsea are unlikely to be able to offer Champions League football, so only Paris Saint-Germain can legitimately compete with Manchester’s big two.

But while City are almost certainly going to be able to sell themselves to prospective new signings by dangling the carrot of a three-year magical mystery tour with Pep Guardiola, what is United’s pitch? If Van Gaal stays, that pitch will be to work for a manager who will be gone in 12 months, to be replaced by... well, that is anyone’s guess.

If he goes, then United must act now, because transfer deals are set up months before the window even opens.

Five more months of drift over the manager and United will see transfer targets move elsewhere, so whatever Woodward does now with Van Gaal will have implications for the summer and beyond.

City could secure the best manager and best players while United and Woodward decide what to do and that would set the club back even further.

If Mourinho is ready and willing to move to Old Trafford, Woodward can at least devise his own three-year plan with the Portuguese.