Louis van Gaal has conceded that Manchester United will no longer be considered title contenders unless they win each of their next three Premier League fixtures.
The Red Devils, who have failed to win any of their last five games in all competitions, slipped to a costly 2-1 defeat at lowly Bournemouth on Saturday.
United now find themselves three points off the summit, with two of the sides above them - Arsenal and Leicester City - also boasting a game in hand.
Van Gaal has refused to rule his side out of the title race, despite the growing pressure building on the Old Trafford club, but admits that any more slip-ups could prove pivotal in the coming weeks.
"Losing two in a row is disappointing, now we have to stay in a position to keep fighting," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "We now have to win three matches in a row to still be up there after Christmas."
United take on Norwich City, Stoke City and Chelsea in their next three league outings across the festive period.
Daniel Lewis
