Manchester United’s players won’t be celebrating if they secure a return to the Champions League, according to Michael Carrick.
United, who currently lie sixth in the Premier League, failed to qualify for this season’s version of Europe’s elite club
competition and face an almighty battle to book their place this time around.
However, should they bank a top-four place, that won’t be enough to please Carrick, who has insisted the famous club only have eyes on the title.
‘It’s not something we’d celebrate, if we finished third, fourth or even second,’ he told the Daily Mirror.
‘You only celebrate when you win, but the Champions League is a big part of this club. It’s where you want to play, it’s where the best players want to play.
‘So in terms of attracting players and all that type of stuff, the club is geared up for that, of course it is, but you can only celebrate winning, really, and finishing top.’
United are two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal as things stand but trail table-topping Chelsea by a whopping 14 points with well over half the season gone.
That’s left Carrick and Co in a tussle with Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham for three more Champions League places – and the midfielder accepts that United may not win the race.
‘In terms of the top-four, you can’t say it’s unthinkable not to make it because it’s there,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to achieve it, you’ve got to earn it.’
The next step along the path to the Champions League for United is a home clash with Watford on Saturday.
The Hornets arrive at Old Trafford with the memories of victory at Arsenal still fresh in their minds but they face a United team who are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games.
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