Manchester United manager David Moyes has admitted life is “tough” at Old Trafford as he endures a difficult start to life with the club.

The Premier League champions sit ninth on the table after 15 games, a massive 13 points off leaders Arsenal, after back-to-back defeats at home to Everton and Newcastle in the space of four days.

United face Shakhtar Donetsk in their final Champions League group game on Tuesday, the competition where Moyes has enjoyed some success with their progression to the last-16 already ensured.

But he revealed he is taking full responsibility for their poor start in the Premier League in their first season since Alex Ferguson retired.

“We’ve been inconsistent at times … We’ve maybe lacked a bit of fortune in some of the games,” he said.

“It’s tough because the expectancy is to win all the games.”

Moyes says there’s no one thing going wrong, and all-round improvement is needed.

“I take complete responsibility for the results. Fortunately they’ve been good in the Champions League but not in the Premier League. Hopefully they will get better.”

A shock defeat against Newcastle on Saturday – the Magpies’ first league win at Old Trafford since 1972 – has only given the United manager more drive to turn their season around.

“It just made me more determined to make sure we improve and get better,” he said.

“I agree in recent games we have not finished games in the way we would have liked to. I’ve tried to make changes but it hasn’t quite happened.”

The United boss says the players are hurting, but he still has full belief that they will turn their season around.

“They care very much about their team and their club. They will respond, there is no doubt about that.”