Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has claimed that Manchester United's problems this season can be traced back to the very start of the campaign.

The Red Devils are currently on a six-match winless streak that includes an early exit from the Champions League and back-to-back defeats at the hands of newly-promoted sides.

Manager Louis van Gaal's future has come under intense scrutiny as a result, and Hoddle believes that it is a big ask for the Dutchman to turn things around at the club.

"Van Gaal has got a big job to do to turn it around. I could see problems there at the beginning of the season," he told PA.

"The fixtures were kind and they didn't have too much of a test. They were winning scruffy. And when they got a test - and they got tested at Arsenal - they lost.

"Teams are actually looking forward to going to Old Trafford and that never used to be the case. It isn't the place that it once was and there is a lot of work to be done."

Reports have claimed that Van Gaal could be sacked as United manager should they lose to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Boxing Day.