FALKENBERG, Sweden: Former Sweden striker Henrik Larsson believes David Moyes will do a great job at Manchester United - if he's given time. Moyes has had a difficult first half season at Old Trafford since taking over following Alex Ferguson's retirement with United slipping outside the Premier League's top four, going out of the FA Cup and losing in the League Cup semi-finals.

However, former Golden Boot winner Larsson, who played 13 games during a loan spell at Old Trafford in 2007, said that Moyes would come good. "It's always going to be tough to replace Sir Alex Ferguson, it goes without saying," Larsson, now Falkenberg's manager, told Reuters in an interview at the club offices.

"The team is not what it was, plus the fact that they've had a few injuries - if you miss Van Persie, you miss Rooney, any team in the world would miss those two players. "But Moyes will do a great job there, I'm absolutely certain about that. "He was the Everton manager for a long time, he had continuity there and he left them in a good place.

"(Roberto) Martinez is doing a great job (at Everton), but he's also reaping the fruits that Moyes sowed." Defending champions United are currently in seventh place in the Premier League, a whopping 14 points behind leaders Arsenal.

"It's going to take time before he knows the players well and what he has to bring in," said Larsson, who played in seven league games as United won the title in the 2006-07 season.

"Continuity is the big key, and obviously you have to have good players. You work on something for a number of years and the players get to know each other. You do it by small steps."