It has been another disastrous Premier League season for Manchester United with the Red Devils currently languishing in 12th position.
Last season they finished eighth in the league, which was their lowest-ever in the Premier League era, and the team look on course to break that record this season.
A return to the Champions League is unlikely and even European football looks a distant dream at this stage. At least, the 20-time English league champions qualified for the Europa League due to their FA Cup triumph last term.
United remain alive in the competition, having beaten Arsenal in the FA Cup third round to set-up a fourth round clash with Leicester City but goalkeeper Andre Onana is dreaming even bigger this campaign.
Onana wants to win the Europa League
The Cameroonian revealed to the club’s media team that the entire team is focussed on playing in the Champions League next season and they are eyeing the Europa League trophy to get there.
In fact, as the United No 1 explained, the team know where the final will be held and they are desperate to win it this year.
“For me, we have to win the Europa League. For the guys, they all know it’s a big opportunity for us to go directly into the Champions League, so we will give everything to win the Europa League.
“If we fail, it’s not good because it’s something we definitely have to win and we will give everything to win. It will not be easy because some opponents are very good, and that’s why we’ve drawn some games against very good opponents in the past.
“But the mentality and the standard is always high. So any competition we will step in to play, we have to win, and the Europa League is one of them, so we’ll go there with the winning mentality, to play the last game in Bilbao.
Permutations and combinations
“We already know where the final is, so we have to be ready to give everything and try to win the Europa League because it’s very important for us, not only the Europa League [but also] in the FA Cup and in the Premier League we have to try to finish as high as we can.”
United are in fourth on 15 points with one match to go and eight teams can catch them should they slip up against their Matchday 8 opponents FCSB.
Due to their superior goal difference, a draw would be enough for Amorim’s side to qualify directly through to the knockouts via a top-eight finish while a win will guarantee their place in the knockouts and they could finish as high as second if other results go their way.
It must be remembered that United have already qualified for the knockout stages but they will be required to win a play-off to make the Round of 16.
United’s game against FCSB will be played on Thursday at Old Trafford with United among the few teams who are unbeaten in the competition.
Feature image Clive Rose via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
