Beckham advises Depay to take inspiration from United's No 7 shirt

England football great David Beckham has urged Manchester United striker Memphis Depay to use the history of his former club's iconic No.7 shirt as inspiration to rediscover his form.

Depay was handed the famous number after completing his 27.9 million pound move from Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2015, but has so far struggled to cope with the demands at Old Trafford.

After starting 12 of United's opening 13 games, Depay has fallen out of favour with coach Louis Van Gaal since United's 0-3 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on October 4.

Anthony Martial has been preferred in Depay's favoured position on the left but is an injury doubt for Saturday's trip to play Watford at Vicarage Road, Sky Sports reported on Thursday.

Martial left Wembley on crutches on Tuesday after sustaining an ankle injury for France against England and his potential absence could hand The Netherlands international Depay a chance to get himself back in van Gaal's starting line-up.

Beckham insists the only way to approach the iconic shirt is to embrace it and take inspiration from past legends like George Best and Eric Cantona.

"I don't see it as an intimidation, I see it as an honour. When you get given the No 7 shirt it doesn't matter who has worn it in the past or what that player has achieved in the past," Beckham said.

"At the end of the day it is a special shirt to wear but I don't think personally that it comes with any pressure. It always was an inspiration for me," he added.

"It was never my shirt. It was George Best's, Bryan Robson's, Eric Cantona's. The only reason I wanted to wear the No 7 shirt was because of these players. The No 7 shirt is a special shirt for United. It always has been and it always will be."

Beckham was eventually handed the shirt by coach Alex Ferguson but only after being forced into giving up the No.10 after Teddy Sheringham joined United in 1997.

"I went from wearing the No 10 shirt and then the manager calling me in and saying: 'We've just signed Teddy Sheringham and he wants No.10.' And I was like: 'Oh really, do I have to give it up?'" the former England skipper, who also played big clubs like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, recalled.

"There wasn't really a conversation to be honest. So obviously I didn't argue the fact. I always wanted the No 7 shirt; I just never thought I'd get it. But when the manager decided to give me it, it was special," the 40-year-old, who played 115 matches for England, concluded.