Former Manchester United chief executive David Gill has admitted that the club are not playing the most "attractive" brand of football this season.
Louis van Gaal's charges, who currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, have drawn criticism from many quarters for their style of play under the Dutchman, with some senior players reported to have labelled his methods "boring and repetitive".
"I am not going to get into talking about the quality of football but I am not going to sit here and say it is that attractive," Gill, who now serves as a non-executive director for the club, told BBC Radio 5 live. "For me what we did in the past was great. You have to have the players to do that. You have to have Ryan Giggs running the wing and Beckham and Scholes etc etc.
"Manchester United going back to the 50s under Sir Matt Busby, and I started supporting them because of George Best, played in a certain way. We want to do that. We want attacking football. I am sure that will be a key part going forward."
United suffered their eighth defeat of the season yesterday as Charlie Austin found a late winner to hand Southampton all three points at Old Trafford.