Manchester United cannot qualify for next season's Champions League unless they make significant moves in the January transfer window, according to Alan Shearer.
The former Newcastle and Blackburn striker also predicted that United fans will have to "sit and suffer" while the club carries out a major rebuild.
He was speaking in the wake of United's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, which highlighted the gulf between the sides managed by Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah sealed victory for Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, with Klopp's team now virtually nailed-on for the Premier League title while United languish in fifth place.
"United are lacking quality to get into a Champions League place unless they make some moves in the January transfer window," said Shearer in his column for The Sun.
"They are going to have to sit and be patient and hope to improve after every transfer window, which is going to take a while. Their fans are going to have to sit and suffer."
Shearer also believes United made a major mistake in not replacing Romelu Lukaku when he left for Inter Milan in the summer.
An — who is expected to be out for up to two months — has exposed United's lack of depth up front, with Solskjaer hinting that he could go into the January market. But Shearer said United should have signed a striker in the summer.
He added: "It was always a big gamble going into the season with Rashford, [Anthony]Martial and Mason Greenwood as the only recognised strikers.
"I said right from the off that letting Romelu Lukaku go and not replacing him was a massive mistake.
"They needed a forward in, whether Rashford was carrying an injury or not. They are desperate for one now and where do you find a top quality one in the January transfer window? Erling Haaland seemed the only one and they missed out on him."
