Louis van Gaal has told Manchester United supporters to boo him rather than his players.
But the Dutchman warned fans that it makes it harder for his team to perform if there is a negative atmosphere at Old Trafford.
Fans booed when Van Gaal substituted the popular Anthony Martial and brought on Marouane Fellaini in Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League win over CSKA Moscow.
They also called for Van Gaal to bring on Ander Herrera -- which he only did in the 89th minute -- and often chanted "attack, attack, attack," during United's 404-minute goal drought, which came to an end with Wayne Rooney's winner against CSKA.
United midfielder Jesse Lingard revealed after the CSKA victory that Van Gaal had told his players at half-time not to pay attention to the boos and instead focus on their performance.
The former Bayern Munich and Netherlands boss admitted supporters have the right to show their dissent, but said it should be directed towards him.
"I think the fans have to support the players, otherwise they make it very difficult for the players to play at Old Trafford," Van Gaal said in a news conference. "Until now they were fantastic, so I cannot complain about the fans. I can only advise the fans to criticise the manager and not the players.
"It's very difficult to play for Manchester United with a lot of pressure and when you can taste that in Old Trafford because of all the yelling, then it's not good for all my players.
"It's better to whistle at the manager. I can cope with it because I have had a lot of experience in it as my life as a manager.
"When I started as a 39-year-old coach with Ajax, all the fans were shouting, from the very first day, 'Johan Cruyff,' until we won the UEFA Cup and then it was finished.
"In Barca we had white handkerchiefs. In my first period we were champions, champions, and we won the cup, so it was not like that, but it my second period in Barcelona it was always the white handkerchiefs.
"In Bayern Munich, I had the same in my second year, so I, as a manager, am used to these negative things, I think.
"But the number of fans is, of course, much higher with Manchester United, because we have the most fans in the world."
Van Gaal defended United's performance against CSKA, explaining: "'I think we have attacked for 85 minutes of the 90 minutes, so we have given a lot of entertainment and it's dependable on the goals.
"When the goals are falling much faster, then everybody is happy and when you analyse the games, you know it's difficult to break down a team that has 10 people playing behind the ball."
United went into the last two international breaks on the back of defeats and the Dutchman does not want a repeat this time.
"It has happened to us twice now, against Swansea and Arsenal. It is awful," Van Gaal said. "Now we are playing at home, but we are playing at home against a team who we lost against last season here, so it shall be difficult.
"But I hope we win, then we can have a fortnight after we have won, and not lost."
Van Gaal will give a late test to Morgan Schneiderlin, who missed the match against CSKA through illness.
"He shall train [on Friday] for the first time so we have to wait and see,'' Van Gaal told MUTV.