Ruben Amorim said it was “really clear” Manchester United were being drawn into a relegation fight following the 2-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford.
The United boss admitted his team’s situation was “a little bit embarrassing”, with this latest defeat leaving them seven points above the Premier League drop zone in 14th.
They have lost four successive games in all competitions and five of their last six league games, including their last three at home.
Asked if he sensed United were being drawn into a relegation battle, Amorim told Sky Sports: “That is really clear and we have to fight.”
The Portuguese added in his post-match press conference: “We have to acknowledge our position…we have to win games and focus on surviving.”
Asked if it was embarrassing as United manager to be talking about relegation, Amorim, who has been in charge for 11 games in all competitions, said: “Yes – it’s also my fault in this moment, because I think the team is not improved, I think (it) is a little bit lost in this moment.
“It’s a little bit embarrassing to be a Manchester United coach and lose a lot of games. But we have to cope with that, difficult moments in the life of everybody. It’s a hard moment.”
He added: “I don’t like to arrive here and make excuses. I think people are tired of excuses in this club. And I think sometimes I talk about relegation because of that – I think our club needs a shock and we have to understand that.
“It’s a very difficult moment and we have to fight for the next game and to implement the idea to win games and to have also performance, because I think we are losing some things from the last games.”