Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes that Manchester United are in danger of losing their dominant aura due to the lack of "quality" in the Red Devils side.

The Premier League champions have dipped in their bid to retain the title following defeats to Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.

"I don't believe that the Man United players are quite as good as they were before," the Daily Star quotes Keown as saying. "Against Newcastle, Ferdinand and Giggs were actually their two best players. They were of a better quality than the guys that they are playing with.

"That Manchester United midfield is not exactly world class. I think we all know that Manchester United are not quite as good as they were. They have set themselves some high standards.

"Football is based on belief. If you step on that pitch and you genuinely believe you can do something orachieve something, you may well do something. And it's based on what you are playing against. But what we are seeing from Man United is not quite the same level of consistency we have seen in the past. So that gives everybody an opportunity or a chance when they play them."

Sir Alex Ferguson's side sit three points adrift of league leaders Manchester City.