Supersport United coach Gordon Igesund says his club could yet emerge as league contenders this season despite their poor start to the season.

A 1-0 away win over Ajax Cape Town on Saturday night lifted the club to the fringe of the top eight after they had suffered a severe slump at the start of the campaign. Said Igesund: "It is not as if we have played badly. We've been largely unlucky and had we had a shot that had gone in here, or a penalty decision in our favour there, it would be a whole different story.

"But there are clubs that have lost six or seven games in a season and gone on to win the league.

"I'm confident we can finish in the top eight and if we have a run of positive results we could be aiming higher."

Matsatsantsa are now in ninth spot in the Premier Soccer League standings, outside of the top eight on goal difference. Their 13 points are half what log leaders Bidvest Wits have garnered after 11 rounds of league matches.

United's last four league matches have delivered two victories and two draws, ending a run of six games without success, including four successive defeats.

Igesund said a sector of the media have been baying for his blood and repeatedly suggested he was about to be shown the door at the club after the stuttering start to the season.

But the 59-year-old former Bafana Bafana coach insisted he has the full support of the club's management and has found them unwavering in their support of him.

"And then there are stories that the players are against me. I feel I have the full support of the players and that we have a fantastic relationship," he stressed.

Matsatsantsa play University of Pretoria away on December 20.