Manchester United could still end up finishing in the Premier League's top four come May despite their struggles this season, according to Rio Ferdinand.
United have slipped to seventh in the top flight standings after 25 fixtures, with eight losses, eight draws and just nine wins on their record.
A 0-0 draw against Wolves at Old Trafford on Saturday marked the latest setback for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side as they failed to capitalise on Chelsea's 2-2 draw at Leicester City in the early kick-off.
Fourth-placed Chelsea have a six-point lead over United at present, but Tottenham moved to within four points of the final Champions League spot after beating Manchester City 2-0 on Sunday.
The Red Devils have been unable to string a significant run of wins together this term, and Solskjaer has rarely had a full-strength squad to choose from amid an injury crisis which has seen the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay sidelined.
United were, however, able to bring in Bruno Fernandes for €55 million (£47m/$61m) from Sporting in January, along with Odion Ighalo on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, both of whom are expected to play key roles over the next few months.
And Ferdinand - who won six Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford - believes a top-four berth is still very much "up for grabs" for his old club due to the fact consistency has also proved elusive for their main rivals.
"[United] haven’t been as consistent as we would like, but that happens with change and when there’s a lot of youth that has been brought into a squad," he told Talksport.
"As a fan you want your team to win, play well, get results, to see big players step up and score goals, and we’ve seen that sporadically for Manchester United this season.
"The target at the moment if to be in the Champions League and United are fortunate there isn’t a team that has really gone on a rich vein of form to cement their place in the top four. So it’s up for grabs."
Ferdinand added on United's poor form throughout the 2019-20 campaign: "Based on the success of previous years it paints a bad picture.
"Fans remember that success, they remember the players around that time and you get addicted to winning.
"Everyone wants to see their team produce the goods and when you look at the level of investment that’s gone into this squad, the fans are sitting there saying: 'We expect to see more out on the pitch'.
"We’re all sitting here talking and asking the questions as to how it can be improved, so hopefully, the powers that be at the club hit the right notes."
United will be back in action following the Premier League's winter break on February 17, when they take in a trip to Stamford Bridge for a crucial clash against Chelsea.