Following Sunday’s derby day defeat to Manchester City, a large section of the media have focused attention on the fact that Manchester United have now accumulated 13 points after ten games; the club’s worst start to a domestic campaign since 1986. There have also been numerous links made between United’s start under Louis van Gaal as compared to the club’s return during David Moyes’ first few months in charge.

One of the critics getting the most attention on Sunday night was former Welsh footballer and current BBC pundit, Robbie Savage. Savage asked how United could spend £150 million on new players over the summer, but not add quality to its back four? And followed that question up by asking when journalists were going to start quizzing Louis van Gaal harder for his perceived transfer failings.

“Manchester United are level on points with West Brom,” Savage told BBC Sport. “Don’t get me wrong, I think Alan Irvine is doing a great job there [at West Brom], but United have spent £150m on new players and that is unacceptable. When are we going to start asking serious questions of Louis van Gaal in press conferences because I haven’t heard one yet.”

This is the second consecutive week that the BBC pundit – who aspires to be a manager one day – has questioned the decisions and leadership of the former Dutch national team coach after the Van Gaal took charge of United just over three months ago.

On Sky Sports Super Sunday, former Liverpool standout Jamie Redknapp described United’s defensive unit as “the worst back four you’ll ever see” – and a truer statement has never been made.

To Redknapp’s credit, as well as the remaining members on Sky Sports panel (Niall Quinn and Graeme Souness), the analysis of United shortly after their derby defeat to Manchester City focused on the improvement of the squad during Van Gaal’s brief tenure, despite significant losses to injury.

But these fair assessments have been few and far between over the past 24 hours, and it can be expected that the clouds of this media storm will continue to gather over Old Trafford in the days leading up to United’s next Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace.

It will come as a surprise to no one that Louis van Gaal’s next pre-match press conference on Friday will see the Dutchman answering inflammatory questions from journalists looking to provoke a reaction from the 63-year-old manager who has won league titles in three different countries, guided a young Ajax side to a Champions League title and has also lifted a UEFA Cup.

While the British tabloids and certain members of the media have made it their intention to diminish Van Gaal’s leadership skills and question his decision-making since arriving at the club in July, the vast majority of Manchester United’s fans have remained behind their new manager.

The press are quick to point fingers and ask why the Dutchman failed to address the club’s defensive needs over the summer and also question why Van Gaal’s arrival hasn’t brought immediate success to the side. It’s as if the media want to see the Dutchman’s head roll and see United bring in another manager to clean up the mess left by the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in May 2013.

Regardless of the media outcry, most of United’s supporters are aware of the project that Van Gaal has undertaken and are pleased with the increasingly positive performances of the squad.

Gone are the lifeless efforts with no tactical direction which led to disheartening defeats last season. The current United side is once again fighting until the final whistle and appear to be grasping Van Gaal’s footballing philosophy.

As for the questions about the club’s summer transfer policy. Supporters understand that United made efforts to bring in a top-class centre-back during the transfer window. Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and AS Roma’s Mehdi Benatia were heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford. But it came to light that Hummels had no intention of leaving the Bundesliga club and Benatia had been eyeing a move to German champions Bayern Munich from very early on.

So with the signing of Marcos Rojo and the knowledge that he had Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans in his squad (each of whom are international defenders); Van Gaal elected move forward with the players at his disposal and wait until transfer targets became available at a later date. United’s new boss also knew that he had youth academy products he could turn to, should the club need to turn to them in an emergency.

But no one could have foreseen the rash of injuries and suspensions which have hit United during the opening ten matches of the Premier League campaign, with the loss of personnel impacting the club’s most susceptible position: defense.

Due to the avalanche of injuries to his squad, Van Gaal has chopped and changed his defense more than any other manager in the league. The absolute extreme case came this weekend when his back-four consisted of two 19-year-old defenders (Luke Shaw and Paddy McNair), a center midfielder playing centre-back (Michael Carrick) and a winger playing right-back (Antonio Valencia).

While United fans have applauded the spirit and collective unity of the squad, rabble-rousers and cynics have chosen to make Van Gaal the scapegoat for United’s disappointing points total to date.

To his credit, Van Gaal hasn’t looked for excuses and refuses to see a silver-lining in United’s recent performances. The manager’s insightful comments and blunt assessments following each contest are refreshing and point towards his insistence that his players perform at a higher level.

“I told the boys their willpower and labor were unbelievable and they can be very proud,” Van Gaal said following United’s 1-0 defeat on Sunday. “The fans know the boys are willing to give everything for the shirt of the club – but at the end of the game, we have zero points. In this sport, it is always the goals that count.”

“We were so close in spite of playing with ten men. We had more chances [after the red card] than in the first half. We are close but not close enough. We have 13 points out of 10 matches and Chelsea have a lot more, as do Manchester City so we have a problem.”

“We need to improve and prove that we are not close but better. We will improve, that I promise.”

United supporters understand that the signings will come when the players become available and – in the meantime – there’s no sense complaining about what United lacks defensively. They know that those needs can’t be addressed until January. Even then, the market may not allow for the club to make a move or players simply won’t be available. So the wait could carry on until next summer.

What United fans understand is that there are players within the squad who need to step up, perform and – more importantly – find a way to stay fit, so they can help the club win games. Until then, supporters will continue to rally around the club and keep heaping encouragement on the squad despite the growing discontent from the media.