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...
#WeRememberSam: NFF Marks 30th Anniversary of Samuel Okparaji’s...
U17 AFCON Qualifiers: 12 Players Fail MRI Test,...
Mikel, Omeruo available for Olympics – Siasia
Andy Murray retires from tennis at Paris Olympics...
Euro 2020 Heartbreak For Germany As Hummels Own...
Nigeria’s medals hope shift to Brume, Amusan, women’s...
Latest News
World Cup: Morocco edge Scotland, USA march into last 32, Brazil beat Haiti
AFN shifts Commonwealth Games trials over delayed arrivals
Asaba to host President Federation Cup final
2026 World Cup: Nigerian-American Balogun wins second Man of the Match award
Finalists emerge at 47th CBN Senior Tennis tourney
US waives visa fees for Cape Verde keeper’s mother
World Cup: African teams concede 16 goals, score seven in first round
Eagles must move forward, Osimhen on Mundial miss
Women’s top seed reaches CBN tennis q’finals
Adeshina doubtful for Commonwealth Games
Oshoba, Ibeabuchi, Esepo lead 2026 FGM award nominees
Why I cried after first goal in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria — Messi
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,887 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,212 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,143 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,737 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,627 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,510 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,377 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,916 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,112 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,593 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,056 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,474 views)
World Cup: Morocco edge Scotland, USA march into last 32, Brazil beat Haiti
AFN shifts Commonwealth Games trials over delayed arrivals
Asaba to host President Federation Cup final
2026 World Cup: Nigerian-American Balogun wins second Man of the Match award
Finalists emerge at 47th CBN Senior Tennis tourney
US waives visa fees for Cape Verde keeper’s mother
World Cup: African teams concede 16 goals, score seven in first round
Eagles must move forward, Osimhen on Mundial miss
Women’s top seed reaches CBN tennis q’finals
Adeshina doubtful for Commonwealth Games
Oshoba, Ibeabuchi, Esepo lead 2026 FGM award nominees
Why I cried after first goal in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria — Messi
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,887 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,212 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,143 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,737 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,627 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,510 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,377 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,916 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,112 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,593 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,056 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,474 views)