Manchester United could be heading for the footballing wilderness like Liverpool in the 1990s, fears Paul Scholes

• Scholes is scared that his former club could go into decline if they do not get back on track this season
• He believes Louis van Gaal need five new 'proper' players
• The ex-England star urged United to sign Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos before they moved to Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively
• The Red Devils could struggle like rivals Liverpool did before the turn of the century

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes his old club could be spiralling towards obscurity after more than two decades of Premier League domination.

The Red Devils began the season with a 2-1 home defeat to Swansea on Saturday, continuing their disastrous form of the 2013-14 campaign under new manager Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman has since strengthened his defensive options with the signing of Sporting Lisbon's Marcos Rojo, but Scholes fears United's chances of breaking back into the top four are slim unless Van Gaal adds another five 'proper' players to his squad before the close of the transfer window.

In his column for The Independent, the 39-year-old wrote: 'I am scared for United. Genuinely scared they could go into the wilderness in the same way Liverpool did in the 1990s.

'What do they need? Five players. Five proper players who can hit the ground running and turn round a situation that looks desperate.

'Let me be clear: I am sick of having to criticise the club which I gave my life to as a footballer. But United need to arrest their decline.'

After winning the title in Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in charge, United could only muster a seventh-place finish under the stewardship of David Moyes - and caretaker boss Ryan Giggs - last season.

Hopes of a revival were high following the appointment of the experienced Van Gaal earlier this summer, particularly after the 63-year-old led Holland to the World Cup semi-finals in impressive fashion.

But with only three new players signed this summer and defensive trio Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra having moved on, United fans are unhappy about the summer's dealings.