Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has claimed that Jose Mourinho is not solely to blame for the team's poor start to the season.

United have lost four of their opening 12 Premier League matches to sit eighth in the table, including a 3-1 derby defeat to Manchester City on Sunday which leaves them 12 points behind their local rivals already.

However, Neville believes that the problems at the club run deeper than just who is in charge and insists that he still has faith in Mourinho.

"Even with the players he is bringing in, he is still stuck with the players from previous managers. It's a question for Jose Mourinho, where do Manchester United sit? And it's not a case of finding a final piece of the jigsaw and all of a sudden they are going to win the league because at the moment the jigsaw is half-empty," Neville told Sky Sports News.

"When you look at it you're not even sure what pieces are missing and that's something the board, the senior scouts and coaches have to sit down and work out. They finished second last season which was the best finish since Sir Alex Ferguson. It's so confusing watching Manchester United because you don't know what or who to change.

"Jose Mourinho has won wherever he has been - he has won 20 titles, my point is: David Moyes couldn't sort out the group, Louis van Gaal couldn't sort out the group and now Jose Mourinho, the most successful manager, can't sort out the group. I'm not going to be so quick to sit here and say it is the coaching staff's fault - there is a problem structurally at this club which means it would be difficult for any coach to get this team to perform.

"I haven't lost faith in him, it's going through a difficult moment for sure, but he has been a winner everywhere he has been."

United's first match back after the international break comes at home to Crystal Palace.