Alex Neil insists Norwich City can emulate Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Newcastle by finding the winning habit.

Both the Cherries and Steve McClaren's Magpies have picked up back-to-back top flight wins to haul themselves above Neil's side prior to the hectic festive spell.

City head to Manchester United looking for just a second league win in 12 games but Neil is convinced he has the talent to target a decent Christmas haul.

'The disappointing thing for me is with this squad we should have more points on the board.

'We as a group are more than capable, if we play as well as we can, of putting back-to-back wins together,' he said.

'The one thing I have found in the Premier League is that the margin between success and failure is paper thin.

'There have been a few games when we could and should have won and if you add those five points or so onto our tally everyone sits relatively comfortably and happy with what they have achieved.

'When you cost yourself with errors, or not taking your opportunities, that drops us by five or six points and that makes a world of difference to a team like us.'

Neil is not putting any extra emphasis on four league games in 14 days, starting with the trip to Old Trafford.

'At Christmas if you get back-to-back wins and good performances it really can set you up for the second half of the season,' he said. 'But you can say that at any stage. If you win your first four games you set yourselves up well for the season.

'Or look at Leicester last season, they win their last eight or nine and carry that momentum into the next campaign.

'The funny thing with football, you win the next game nothing else matters. Everyone is on a high and you are looking forward to next week.

'It is about wins, basically and we haven't won enough.'