United haven't clicked into top gear, says Carrick

Cape Town - Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick says the club is ready to put an indifferent start to the season behind them and challenge for top honours.

The most successful English side in the modern Premier League era have suffered a number of seasons of mediocrity since the retirement of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

David Moyes and Louis van Gaal both failed to replicate the success of the Scot by challenging for the league title, and the arrival of Jose Mourinho was meant to re-write the wrongs under those previous regimes.

However, Mourinho's start to life with the Red Devils has been far from ideal - but Carrick says the squad plans to rectify the situation.

"We want to be at the top challenging. We've had some ups and downs along the way, it's not to say that we've given up on winning things just yet," he told SkySports.

"It's too early for that and we've got too much quality and too much of a good team and squad to give up on anything.

"We just don't feel we've got the results our performances have warranted; we know it can change, we're not up to Christmas yet, there's still so much to play for and we still believe that when it comes near the end and when it counts we'll be right up there."

"We probably haven't quite clicked into top gear which, in some ways is a good thing, because we know there's plenty to come," the five-time title winning midfielder added.

"And if we can just hang in there and not be too far away we feel when we do hit top form we'll have a right say in it."

United are currently in seventh place on the standings, eight points behind leaders Liverpool.