Manchester United manager David Moyes has claimed that his side are a team in transition this season.

The champions suffered their fifth defeat of the season in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle United on Saturday lunchtime, and the reverse was their second in succession at Old Trafford.

Moyes, who succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer, told Sky Sports News: "There will be [light at the end of the tunnel] because it is a transitional period and that was always going to be the case.

"I hoped it wouldn't have been as poor as it has been in the last few games. When I came here I knew it was never going to be easy and it's proved to be that way. I think the United supporters have been great to me and great to the club.

"They understand there is a big transition going on here and, like me, I don't think they expected us to have lost five games at this stage of the season. We didn't expect that, but I think they understand that there is a change going on. We'll work, try to improve and try to get better."

The result leaves United ninth in the Premier League.