Herrera: “Champions League is where this club should always be"
Ander Herrera has said that United are not giving up on the slim hope of a top-four finish this season but admitted their fate is in Chelsea's hands.
Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has said that the club “are going to fight for” a top-four finish ahead of their game against Huddersfield on Sunday.
The Red Devils still have a slim chance of finishing fourth: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side must win their remaining two games while realistically needing Chelsea to pick up no more than one point from a possible six in their two last games against Watford and Leicster.
"Of course, at the moment, it’s in the hands of Chelsea but we still have six points to play [for]. They have the Europa League in between both weeks, so we’re going to fight for it,” the Spaniard said in an interview for the club’s MUTV channel.
“We are disappointed because we should have won at the weekend [against Chelsea]. We played good enough to win the game. But now we have two games to try to get it [a top-four finish].”
Herrera: Champions League is the history of this club
Should United fail to qualify for the Champions League, it would be for only the second time in 24 years – the first time being in 2015-16 when the club finished fifth under Louis Van Gal.
“The Champions League is where this club should always be," stressed Herrera. "That’s why it’s very, very important of course. Winning titles and playing in the Champions League is the history of this club.”
United look to make up for last season’s defeat at Huddersfield
United and Chelsea both kick off their respective games against Huddersfield and Watford tomorrow at the same time. The Blues play at home, while Solskjaer's men travel to the John Smith’s Stadium, where the lost last year’s fixture 2-0.
“To be honest, that was a very difficult game – the weather, the circumstances weren’t the best but no excuses,” recalled Herrera.
“They were better than us, they won, so this season we hope that we start the game better, we feel our intensity at the beginning of the game will be better for sure, so we will try to get the three points.”