Colombian striker Falcao missed a hatful of gilt-edged opportunities on Saturday afternoon as United stayed in the top four, a point above Arsenal who turned over champions Manchester City.

United had been touted as potential title challengers during their 11-match unbeaten run over the Christmas period but are now 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.

Despite controlling much of the proceedings at Old Trafford, United failed to register a single shot on target, with Dusan Tadic’s well-taken effort enough to secure victory for Ronald Koeman’s high-flying Saints.

Louis van Gaal has been touted as having turned the corner during his side’s ongoing 11-match unbeaten run, and there has even been increasing talk of a possible title challenge, yet his record is arguably worse than Moyes’ and comes on the back of an unprecedented summer spending spree.

The Colombian forward, 28, arrived at the 20-time league champions in a big-money loan switch from French principality club Monaco in September last year in a major move by Louis van Gaal.

United manager Louis van Gaal has again been promised another vast transfer budget to continue re-shaping his United squad, on top of the £150million spent in the last window.

The club have brought through 36 players to be ranked second of the 98 clubs surveyed by the International centre for sports studies and 12 of those still play for United.

The 20-times league champions dispatched the Tigers 3-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday, maintaining their place in the top four and extending their winning streak to three games.

The returns of Michael Carrick and the much-maligned Marouane Fellaini have gone some way to adding steel to a midfield that was all but absent in the opening weeks of the season.

The 20-times league champions head into the vital match on the back of a four-match unbeaten run, while City have lost their last two.

City have stuttered in recent weeks, first throwing away a 2-0 lead against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League before two domestic defeats on the bounce, to West Ham in the league and Newcastle in the Capital One Cup – losing their League Cup crown in the process.