Manchester United are well-positioned to qualify for next season’s Champions League
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Steve Holland (left) feels Man United must be striving for more than just Champions League qualificationopen image in gallery
Steve Holland (left) feels Man United must be striving for more than just Champions League qualification (AFP/Getty)
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Manchester United assistant manager Steve Holland has declared the club’s ambitions extend beyond merely securing Champions League qualification as the season enters its crucial final weeks.
The Old Trafford side has ascended to third place in the Premier League since Michael Carrick assumed control in mid-January.
With just seven fixtures remaining, they are well-positioned for a return to Europe’s elite club competition after a year-long absence.
"I think the language we should be using as this club is to finish as close as we possibly can to the top," Holland stated on the club’s official website. "I don’t know how possible that is, but that has to be the challenge always: to get as close as we possibly can to the top."
He added that the focus has been on immediate results rather than the chasing pack.
Man United have moved into the top three under Michael Carrick (Andrew Matthews/PA)open image in gallery
Man United have moved into the top three under Michael Carrick (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)
"We’ve been speaking more to the players really about winning our matches, rather than thinking too much about what’s happening below.
“But clearly given the context, to finish in the Champions League places would be a good situation for us, but I think always we should be looking for more than that."
United’s prospects for Champions League football received a boost following Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Sporting in their quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night.
This result guarantees the Premier League at least five clubs in next season’s competition, having secured Uefa’s European Performance Spot. Heading into the weekend, United hold a seven-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea.
The squad recently concluded a training camp outside Dublin, capitalising on an unusual 24-day hiatus between their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on 20 March and Monday night’s upcoming clash against Leeds at Old Trafford.
This extended break is a consequence of both the international window and United’s early exits from cup competitions.
"Our last game, Bournemouth to Leeds, is a Premier League record I think, in terms of time between games," Holland remarked. "So the gap has been as big as you can have really.
“I think we felt it was important to get the whole group together again, and really focus on finishing the season well. I think this was the perfect venue for that, really."