LEICESTER -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims Manchester United have been "our own enemy" this season after heralding Sunday's 3-0 victory over struggling champions Leicester City as the catalyst for a surge into the Premier League's top four between now and the end of the campaign.
Despite an unbeaten run in the league stretching back to the 4-0 defeat at Chelsea in October, United have now been locked in sixth position for 64 days, having failed to take advantage of opportunities to close the gap on the Champions League places.
Jose Mourinho's team have recorded nine draws in the league -- six of them at Old Trafford -- and Ibrahimovic said those stalemates have led to United being off the pace.
But with the gap to fourth-placed Arsenal now just two points, Ibrahimovic believes United can now launch a sustained push for the top four.
"I think we are back in the hunt," Ibrahimovic said. "It was a big gap a couple of months ago, but it is smaller now.
"We have been our own enemy. If we had won our games and get the points we should have got the situation would have been totally different, but OK, now we look at other teams and hope they lose points.
"We have missed a couple of games by not winning them. If we had won them, the situation would have been totally different.
"But we are working hard and we really want to reach the top four and the Champions League.
"To be champions, it will be hard but this is our aim and we don't give up."
Ibrahimovic, 35, took his United goal tally to 20 with his first-half strike at the King Power Stadium, becoming the oldest player to hit 15 Premier League goals in a season.
But the Swede insists he has still not reached his personal target for the campaign
"I have a target in my head but I will not say it," he said. "I am not there yet.
"But I have a target and it is something I have been doing every year and it is nothing new for me.
"I keep producing. I have 20 goals and seven assists. The statistic is in reach like it has been before in other years, except for last year which was a crazy year!
"I still produce and do my best and I get a lot of help from my teammates. I know there were many people who said I wouldn't even score 20 but that is nothing I focus on.
"For me, the main objective is to help my team win and do their best and afterwards we see what happens.
"We have some games left so hopefully I will get more.
"But everything motivates me, all the targets, all the other critics, all the atmosphere coming to Premier League and bringing more followers to the Premier League."