Louis van Gaal was never in danger of being sacked despite a troubled start to his Manchester United reign, according to former Red Devils defender Phil Neville.
Expectations were high at Old Trafford following a €180 million summer spending spree but a run of just three wins in Van Gaal's first 11 matches in all competitions led some to question the effectiveness of the Dutchman's "philosophy".
Results and performances have since improved, however, with United losing just three of 25 games since mid-November and beating Tottenham and Liverpool in their last two outings to take control of the Premier League top-four race.
And Neville, who served as David Moyes' first-team coach during the Scot's brief and ill-fated tenure as United boss, insists Van Gaal's position never reached the same state of peril.
"I don't think he was ever in danger," Neville told Goal at the launch of Predikta - the football prediction game that connects.
"Mostly because even though probably the performances haven't been up to the level he would want, the results haven't actually been that bad.
"You can see there's been a bit of progression, it's a transitional period. It's a young team under a new manager playing a new style.
"The performances against Tottenham and Liverpool were unbelievable, and the first half against Liverpool was probably the best Manchester United performance I've seen in three years – and that includes some of the Sir Alex Ferguson era as well, including the year they won the title.
"It was a special performance, and a performance that would have made the rest of the league go 'Wow'.
"They've been building up to that type of performance and it's been good that they can start to move forward playing like a Manchester United team with the players looking like they're enjoying it."
Neville refuses to speculate on whether Moyes would have been afforded the same amount of time and understanding as Van Gaal, but is convinced that the only way is up for the Dutchman and his expensively-assembled squad.
"It's a bit hypothetical really," he added. "I was involved with David Moyes, I think he should have been awarded more time, but he got sacked and life moves on. David is obviously out in Sociedad now doing a fantastic job.
"I think Moyes would have spent the same amount of money [as Van Gaal] because I think the team needed rebuilding, a big changeover of players.
"Van Gaal did that, brought in some good players and it took time for those players to settle in, but now you're seeing the fruition of that."
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