David Beckham has backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over his time as Manchester United manager so far - and said his former team-mate has learned from Sir Alex Ferguson.
After a poor start to the season, Solskjaer has guided United to fifth place in the Premier League and the latter stages of the Europa League and FA Cup.
And Beckham reckons that, despite trailing table-topping rivals Liverpool by a whopping 38 points in the top-flight, Solskjaer should still be applauded for his Red Devils' work.
"I think he's doing a good job," Beckham told Sky Sports . "The fact that he's stepped in and stepped up, and that he continues to be positive about players, he's got that from the boss. He would never criticise a player from his club and Ole has been exactly the same.
"He's still learning but he will protect his players and protect Manchester United. All of the fans will be behind him because he's a great person and because of what he's done for Manchester United over the years."
Beckham, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League with United, said he is still a huge Red Devils fan.
But he accepts the club were always going to struggle in the wake of Ferguson's retirement in 2013 and the departures of other key figures.
"I think when you're a club as big as Manchester United and you've had the amount of success that we had, there was always going to be a period where other clubs have some success," he said.
"When that success is being had by Manchester City or Liverpool it's always going to be talked about. There was always going to be a transition period, especially when Alex Ferguson stepped down.
"You had David Gill working at the club too and the players stopped playing, Giggsy (Ryan Giggs), Scholesy (Paul Scholes) and the Nevs (Gary and Phil Neville), they all stopped playing so there was always going to be a period when they weren't as successful.
"Is it hard to watch them now? No because I'm a real Manchester United fan and whatever the situation, I love watching them play.
"But let's hope it doesn't last for too much longer that we go without trophies because we are one of the biggest clubs in the world and not many clubs have that tradition."
