FORMER Scotland boss Craig Brown has urged Manchester United fans to have patience with under-fire David Moyes.

The pressure on the Old Trafford manager has ratcheted up following the 2-1 FA Cup home defeat by Swansea - the fourth home defeat in a month for United.

Brown, who played a role in Moyes' development as a coach by allowing him to watch Scotland's training sessions at the 1998 World Cup finals in France, believes the current United gaffer will have a change in fortune, and points out Arsenal were viewed as being in crisis at the start of the season.

It took almost four years for Sir Alex Ferguson to win a trophy after he took over as United manager in 1986, and Brown said that example should also be borne in mind.

He said: "I don't think anyone should be ringing the alarm bells. The best example is Arsenal at the start of the season when all the talk was about Arsene Wenger and the club being in crisis and look at them now - top of the league.

"All it needs is a couple of months of good results and all this will be forgotten and David Moyes will do that - there is no doubt in my mind.

"Alex (Ferguson) didn't go into Manchester United and wave a magic wand and make it okay, and although David is in a slightly different situation it is similar in some ways.

"Replacing the best in the business was always going to be difficult, but David is a strong character and an intelligent guy and I know he is respected by the players.

"People can be disappointed by recent results, but they should accept he is an accomplished manager and be certain the team can recover."

Moyes' frank admission of January not being the best time to bring in new players hardly helps generate a feeling of optimism amongst the United fans.

The obvious lack of impact made by Marouane Fellaini since his £27.5million move from Everton may make Moyes even more tentative about spending big sums this month, yet, without reinforcements in midfield particularly, it is hard to see the situation improving to any great degree.

The one positive is the speed with which some sort of redemption can be achieved in tonight's trip to Sunderland for a Capital One Cup semi-final, first leg, likely to herald the return of Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Nemanja Vidic, and which simply must be won.

Meanwhile, Gus Poyet has urged his Sunderland players to put a "nightmare" season to one side and relish the chance to reach the final.

United's visit to Wearside comes against the backdrop of an intensely difficult few months for the Uruguayan and his players, who have won only three league games, two fewer than they have managed in the domestic cup competitions.

However, while top-flight survival remains the priority, Poyet insists the chance to claim a famous scalp and book a trip to Wembley is one which should excite his beleaguered troops.

The 46-year-old said: "I would like to say it's the nicest part of the season because the rest has been a nightmare with the position in the table, so let's try to enjoy this one and go on and do something important for the club."