Manchester, Dec 31 (IANS): After a loss to Newcastle left Manchester United just seven points above the bottom three in the Premier League table, manager Ruben Amorim said it is a bit "embarrassing" to lose a lot of games while admitting that it is "really clear" his side is in a relegation battle.

Newcastle earned a 2-0 win at Old Trafford for fourth successive victory, while Man United were beaten for the third straight match on Monday night.

"That is really clear (United are being dragged into a relegation battle) so we have to fight. It is a really difficult moment, one of the more difficult moments in the history of Manchester United and we have to address it with honesty," Amorim told Sky Sports.

Meanwhile, United will end New Year’s Eve in 14th place in the Premier League, their lowest position at the turn of a year in the league since 1989, when they ended that year in 15th, eventually finishing 13th.

"It is also my fault. The team is not improving. It is a little bit lost in this moment and it is a bit embarrassing to be Manchester United coach and lose a lot of games. I think people are tired of excuses at this club. This club needs a shock," Amorim added in his press conference.

"When you have these kind of moments, especially in the big clubs, it's really hard to turn things around, especially when you don't have a lot of time to train the basics, to cope with the difficult moments. So we have to acknowledge our position, the way you see the league, everybody can beat everybody," he said.

The Red devils lost six matches in all competitions in December, only the third month in which they’ve lost six games after April 1926 (6 games) and September 1930 (7 games). They also conceded 18 goals in December, their most in a single month since March 1964 (also 18), according to Premier League stats.

United will next play Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday before taking on Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup on January 12.