Everton left-back Leighton Baines has admitted that there is a lack of chemistry between the players.

Roberto Martinez's side suffered their third Premier League defeat in a row on Sunday when they were beaten 1-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Merseyside outfit have struggled to maintain a challenge for a European spot this season as they are currently 12th in the Premier League table with eight games left to play.

Baines, who has missed the majority of the campaign due to injury, has suggested that the team's disappointing season is down to its members not clicking well on the field.

"I just don't feel as though the chemistry is quite there with the team on the pitch at the moment, and it hasn't been for a while," Baines told the Liverpool Echo. "We are maybe leaning too heavily on individuals to come up with something.

"We're in games, we were in the game on Sunday and had a couple of chances, but we're not performing as a team to the level we know we can or we should be.

"Results have an impact on that because chemistry and confidence go hand in hand. Look at the teams who are having success this year and you'd say they have chemistry. If I had to say one thing, I just don't know if it's there with us at the moment, for whatever reason."

Everton have won just nine of their 30 league games this season, but they remain in contention for silverware as they are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.