David Gill calls for calm after Manchester United’s loss to Southampton

It’s been a season of under-achievement.

Manager Louis van Gaal is now in the Netherlands and not due to return to the United Kingdom until Tuesday, when he will take training at Carrington as normal. United, going back to the Fifties under Matt Busby, have had that – and I started supporting when we had George Best.

They are now five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the Barclays Premier League standings with 15 matches left. “They have also a knowledge of football, of entertaining football, and you have to play football to entertain the fans”.

“Understandably, they are saying nothing, but in doing so an air of uncertainty hangs over the club – and recent results and performances are doing nothing to help”.

“They are right (to boo)”.

“I can not answer that because normally I communicate everything with everybody so it is not for me to answer these kinds of questions”, he said.

The Dutchman added: “I can not change that feeling”.

Following the defeat to Southampton, Van Gaal was then spotted by fans departing Manchester airport for his native Holland, with some reports suggesting he might not return from the trip.

United was booed off at Old Trafford after registering just one shot on goal against Southampton, which won with a debut goal from new signing Charlie Austin.

His affection for United and their former manager Alex Ferguson is well documented and Mourinho was linked with the job after the Scot’s retirement until the club plumped for David Moyes as successor.

However, Mendes has released a short statement in response, stating the supposition Mourinho was offering his services to United is “absolutely ridiculous”.

Mourinho has been out of work since getting the sack at Chelsea in December following a disastrous defence of their Premier League title.

According to the report, Mourinho explains in the letter how he would be prepared to adapt his style of management to suit the demands at Old Trafford, and how he would seek to overhaul the squad.

United are in desperate need of a lift to prevent their season disintegrating even further, but van Gaal could give no guarantees that it may come via a move into the January transfer market.