By Daily Sports on March 23, 2017
Manchester United should focus on winning the Europa League this season, which would bring the club a trophy they have never won and secure qualification for next season’s Champions League, former manager Alex Ferguson has said.
United are fifth in the Premier League and sit four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, though they have two games in hand on the Merseyside club.
A top-four finish would ensure Champions League qualification but Ferguson, who was in charge at Old Trafford for some 27 years, believes United have a great opportunity to qualify by winning Europe’s second-tier club competition.
“The thing is, we’ve never won the Europa League,” he told ESPN. “We’ve never won UEFA Cup, what it used to be.
And we’ve got a great draw. I’m not saying it’s a certainty, but they’ve got a great chance.
“It’s still a European trophy. And if you win it, you get into the Champions League. The incentive is greater to do that.”
English clubs have failed to win a European title since Chelsea’s Champions League win in 2012.
Ferguson, who won two Champions League trophies and a Cup Winners’ Cup at United, said success on the European front is cyclical.
“In the ’70s, Ajax and Bayern Munich; ’80s, Liverpool; ’90s Italy, AC Milan. And then England had a great spell,” the 75-year-old Scot added.
“At the moment, the cycle is with the Spanish teams. And they’re best, that’s why they’re winning it.
United visit Belgian outfit Anderlecht in the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal on April 13 before hosting the return a week later. (© Reuters)
•Photo shows Manchester United
Source Daily Sports
Posted March 23, 2017
You may also like...
Ronaldo Scores Again As Juventus Beat Sampdoria
Carl Frampton vs. Andres Gutierrez cancelled
NUGA Announces Qualified Athletes to Represent Nigeria At...
Nigeria battle Mali in quest for Brazil 2016...
Joshua And Fury Exchange Insults
WAFCON Loss: Super Falcons Thumbed Up Despite…
Latest News
Anambra School Sports Festival Ends In Emotional Grand Style As Njikoka Emerge Champions
Club W’Cup: Chelsea face travel woes after group stage upset
Lyon included in Ligue 1 fixtures despite demotion
Adesanya eyes Strickland fight for UFC return
Wilder ends losing streak, but questions linger
Brentford reject Man Utd's new £62.5m Mbeumo bid
After 31 Years, FG Hands Over Houses To 1994 Super Eagles Heroes
Ronaldo signs new deal with Saudi club Al-Nassr
Leicester part company with manager Van Nistelrooy
'Wilder v Paul next? You wouldn't flinch'
UFC fighters to receive up to $1m in settlement payout
17 States Confirm Plans To host Olympic Day
Rangers International going, going . . . (55,552 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,712 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,728 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,322 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,322 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,312 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,114 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,658 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,768 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,378 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,824 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,247 views)
Anambra School Sports Festival Ends In Emotional Grand Style As Njikoka Emerge Champions
Club W’Cup: Chelsea face travel woes after group stage upset
Lyon included in Ligue 1 fixtures despite demotion
Adesanya eyes Strickland fight for UFC return
Wilder ends losing streak, but questions linger
Brentford reject Man Utd's new £62.5m Mbeumo bid
After 31 Years, FG Hands Over Houses To 1994 Super Eagles Heroes
Ronaldo signs new deal with Saudi club Al-Nassr
Leicester part company with manager Van Nistelrooy
'Wilder v Paul next? You wouldn't flinch'
UFC fighters to receive up to $1m in settlement payout
17 States Confirm Plans To host Olympic Day
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (55,552 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,712 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,728 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,322 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,322 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,312 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,114 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,658 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,768 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,378 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,824 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,247 views)