Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accused his rivals of being "afraid" to publicly declare themselves as title contenders.

The 2016-17 campaign is expected to be the most competitive Premier League season ever, with both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, in addition to defending champions Leicester City, thought to have title aspirations.

Mourinho made no secret of his belief that his side will be amongst the challengers, but believes that his counterparts are being too cautious.

"We feel that we are candidates to win the title. We want to fight for the title, we cannot speak differently. We know that not one or two or three but more than that have the same ambitions," he told reporters.

"Many more think the same way as us but they are afraid to say it. They prefer to play a defensive game in words. They prefer to say or to hide or to play defensively with the words, that's not our way. I don't think that's Manchester United.

"I think Manchester United has to say we want to win the title. At the end of the season if we are not champions because someone is better than us then great, that's football. But at Manchester United Football Club you cannot say differently, we have to fight for the title."

United will begin their campaign away to Bournemouth on Sunday.