Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has reportedly claimed that his team will not win the Premier League title this season, despite just being four games into the campaign.

The Red Devils opened their season with back-to-back victories, but since then have stumbled to a draw and a defeat, resulting in seven points and just three goals.

Last season, Van Gaal guided United from seventh to fourth, but despite spending more than £100m on new players in the summer, the Dutchman does not believe that a title triumph is possible.

According to the Manchester Evening News, during a fan event at the Old Trafford cricket ground on Wednesday night, Van Gaal said that he expects his team to finish either second or third in the Premier League, and to be competing in all three cup competitions following last season's failure to win silverware.

United last won the title in the 2012-13 campaign, and the longest that they have gone without winning the Premier League is four years between 2003 and 2007.