Manchester United are just about holding on to their top four positions after beating a fellow top four rival in Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Buoyed by their dominant performance in the match, Manchester United players believe they can not just hang to the fourth place but can move in the upwards to overtake fellow rivals Manchester City from the second spot.
Michael Carrick said that United mustn’t waste the impetus that finally a good result and performance has given them with nine matches to go. Hence, he claims this performance against Spurs should be a launching pad and not a one off.
According to Manchester Evening News, “We won the game. Tottenham are a good side, we’ve beaten them and we’ve picked up an important three points. But it doesn’t count for anything more than that,” says Carrick.
“It will give us confidence, of course. But in terms of what it means to anyone else it is not for me to answer. I think it is just more for us a big boost going into another big one next week. Sunday is a big game for a lot of reasons and that is probably all we can focus on at the moment.”
Louis Van Gaal’s vice-captain did not stop there as he went on to say that United should not limit themselves with fourth place and should try and catch City, who are in second. “We have got to aim for second. We’re within touching distance now. You look at the table now and it is so tight.”
“But I suppose really we’ve just got to look to next Sunday. It sets us up for another big game at Anfield. Every game is important now. There are going to be ups and downs because that is how it is, especially in the last nine or 10 games.”
“Hopefully when that pressure kicks in, and it goes up and up, then we perform even better and we’re going to have to in the weeks to come. For this club the Champions League is the place to be isn’t it? We had been in it for so long and not being involved on the big nights makes you realise what it is all about.”
He also suggested the performance against Spurs was the best of the season. “I think it has to be our best performance of the season given the importance of the game,” he added.
The Reds moved to within just two points of the Blues after Van Gaal’s side beat Spurs on Sunday while Manuel Pellegrini’s City side were beaten 24 hours earlier against Burnley. Just like Carrick, his teammate Chris Smalling has also targeted City in the run-in.
Smalling said: “It is all very close. There is only a point between us and Arsenal and I think it’s very open all the way up to second place and we will be aiming for that.”
“We want Champions League football back here. It’s a must. Fourth is the minimum but when it’s there, second is a realistic target and if we keep on performing like we did against Spurs I don’t see why we can’t give it a good push.”
After beating Spurs, Van Gaal also shared the same view of outsmarting their City rivals for a second place finish. “Of course (City are now in the fight) because Arsenal is one point behind and we are two points behind them,” said the United manager.
“If they want or don’t want it that is not the issue. It is good for us and the fans and the media because you can write a lot of things down.”
For the last two seasons United were beaten at home by Tottenham Hotspur. First by Andre Villa Boas side (3-2) in Alex Ferguson’s last year and Tim Sherwood managed the same feet last season when his Spurs side inflicted more misery on David Moyes to beat the Reds 2-1.
Hence, finally ending the barren run by beating Spurs had given great confidence for United. Especially the way in which United won the match by dominating it buoyed the players and the manager that they believe this can be the turning point in United finally finding their feet.
Image Courtesy: Manchester Evening News and Guardian