Manchester United assistant manager Steve Holland has emphasized that the team is aiming for more than just securing Champions League qualification as they approach the final stretch of the season.
Since Michael Carrick took over managerial duties in mid-January, United has risen to third place, putting them on track for a return to European competition after a year away. With seven matches remaining, the team is optimistic about its prospects.
“The language we should embrace as a club is to finish as close to the top as possible,” Holland stated on the club’s website. “While I’m not certain how achievable that is, it should always be our challenge to strive to get as close to the summit as we can.”
“We’ve been focusing more on winning our matches rather than overly worrying about what’s happening below us. However, with the context in mind, finishing in the Champions League positions would be a positive outcome, but we should always aim for more than that.”
United’s hopes for Champions League qualification have received a boost after Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Sporting in their quarter-final first leg on Tuesday, which guarantees the Premier League a minimum of five representatives in the Champions League next season through UEFA’s European Performance Spot.
Heading into the weekend, United holds a seven-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea.
This week, the team has been training at a camp just outside Dublin, making the most of a 24-day break between their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on March 20 and their upcoming match against Leeds at Old Trafford.
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The lengthy gap between matches is due to both the international break and United’s early exit from cup competitions.
“The time between our last game against Bournemouth and the upcoming match against Leeds is, I believe, a Premier League record,” Holland noted. “The gap has been as long as it can possibly be. We felt it was crucial to bring the whole group together again and focus on finishing the season strongly. This was the ideal setting for that.”