Martin Keown's damning verdict on Man Utd's top-four chances

Martin Keown has claimed Man Utd are "not strong enough" to finish in the top four this season.

United have had a difficult start to the season having picked up just eight points from a possible 18.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have fallen to shock defeats to Crystal Palace and West Ham , as well as playing out disappointing draws with Wolves and Southampton .

They now face a difficult run of games against Arsenal , Newcastle and league leaders Liverpool without any of their recognised strikers fit to play.

And despite some decent transfer business in the summer, former Arsenal defender-turned pundit Keown feels the Red Devils are even weaker than last season.

United have had a poor start to the season (PA)

Keown told the Mail : "United finished sixth last season, then they lost Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez without replacing them. So, how can they expect to be stronger now? It makes no sense.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows the value of a good strike force. I played in games against United where their options up front included Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke. Now, they are relying on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial to lead their attack."

United are currently eighth in the table, with top four rivals Tottenham and Arsenal both ahead of them, along with outsiders Leicester , West Ham and Bournemouth .

Chelsea are on the same amount of points as United, and Keown predicted at the start of the season that both would finish outside the Champions League spots.

Keown feels it was a mistake to not replace Sanchez and Lukaku (Getty Images)

"The reason I didn't go for Chelsea was because they have a promising but novice manager in Frank Lampard, young players and a transfer embargo," Keown added. "The reason I didn't go for United was because they simply aren't strong enough."

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is in agreement with Keown, and said that this is the worst Man Utd side the Premier League has seen.

Asked if it was the worst, Redknapp said: "It's got to be. Fergie never had a bad team in all his years in the Premier League.

"Alex's were amazing, so yes, [so the current team] probably is. Unfortunately it's what [Solskjaer] has inherited."