Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United need a ‘miraculous recovery’ if they are to win the Premier League this season, according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.

United were held goalless at home to Burnley this weekend, leaving them in eighth place on the table with just 15 points gained from a possible 30 this season.

The Red Devils are now eight points behind leaders Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. Carragher believes United’s failure to get results against clubs like Watford, Stoke and Burnley have left them an almost insurmountable mountain to climb this season.

‘They are not actually winning the games that you would expect them to win,’ the former Liverpool defender said on Monday Night Football.

‘I think if they won the league from this position it would be a miraculous recovery. But I think going forward now, there are a lot more questions in terms of Mourinho himself as a manager and his effect, and how long it is taking to get across to the United players.

‘And I actually admired Jose Mourinho when he first came in, because we are talking about a team that finished outside the top four last year. He was not talking about top four, he was saying: “No, we are Manchester United, we are going for the league.”

‘And rightly so, and the players he bought were players to win the league. You do not buy [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic to think: “I am building something for two or three years.” You are buying him for right now.

‘Even though Pogba, he is not young, he is only 23 and has his best years ahead, but it is a world-record fee, so you are buying him for right now.

‘Same for [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan – I do not know what has gone on there. [Eric] Bailly I think has done really well at centre back, but unfortunately he has gone out.’

Manchester United travel to Turkey for Europa League action against Fenerbahce on Thursday.