Robbie Savage has claimed that Manchester United will not be able to qualify for the Champions League this season if they fail to improve their defence.

The Red Devils had been unbeaten in 11 games until they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Southampton at the weekend.

"Southampton are magnificent defensively, only conceded 15 goals, but contrast that to United's back three: they are pathetic," he told BBC Sport. "There are too many gaps in between them and they can't defend. They keep making errors. At Stoke, they were vulnerable at set pieces.

"They have had enough time now, maybe if you take [Tyler] Blackett out of the equation and [Paddy] McNair as he didn't play today, but [Phil] Jones has been there long enough now to grab that centre-half position by the scruff of the neck, so has [Chris] Smalling and Jonny Evans has been on the bench.

"Unless United change the situation by buying quality defenders, they are not going to challenge for Premier League titles or Champions League. If they buy two quality defenders, then yes, I can maybe see them winning the Premier League next year."

United dropped down to fourth in the Premier League table following Sunday's defeat.