Former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has claimed that Jose Mourinho's side are out of the Premier League title race this season.
The Red Devils picked up just two wins from 11 league games from September to December to fall away from the leading pack, but have since returned to form and picked up 19 points from the last 21 on offer to keep any slim hopes alive.
However, Sunday's 1-1 draw with Liverpool leaves United 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, and Vidic believes that the gap is too great to overhaul in the remaining months of the season.
"Realistically we are out of the title race. That's my opinion. But, in recent weeks, the way we have played is encouraging. If we keep playing like that then the top three is our target," he told ESPN.
"After 1-0, you take the 1-1 [against Liverpool]. In the first half, we played well. We had three or four good chances and didn't take them. If you want to win the match, you have to take the chances we had.
"In the second half, we didn't play as good as in the first one - but we scored a goal. [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic showed his class again. One chance, one goal. Overall, 1-1 is a fair result."
United are back in Premier League action against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday.
Barney Corkhill
