Herrera: Manchester United Ready to Fight for Top Four

Manchester United midfielder believes his team should be in the Champions League every year.

Manchester United ended the weekend one point back of the top four, but Ander Herrera feels the team can make the push for Champions League qualification.

The Red Devils beat Everton 1-0 with a goal from Anthony Martial to keep pace with the other top four contenders. After West Ham drew and Manchester City won easily, United moved into sole possession of 5th in the table – currently qualified for the Europa League and just one spot back of Europe’s top competition.

Herrera played a supportive part in the hard-fought win over the Toffees, coming off the bench in relief Michael Carrick. The Spaniard had just made a return from a calf injury that kept him sidelined for the two matches prior.

Speaking to reporters after the match, per ManUtd.com, the 26-year-old spoke on Manchester United’s capacity to make a run at the top four:

"“Overall when you’re fifth in the table and want to be in the top four, you have to maintain this form. It is not going to be easy because Man City also want to be in the next Champions League tournament, but we have to fight for it. I think we are ready to do it.“Man United should be in the Champions League every year. I think in the last 25 or 26 years, there has been just one time when we didn’t play Champions League, so we want to be there. We are Man United, we as players are obligated to fight until the end and I think we have the quality to be there.”"

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Of course, that one absence from the Champions League came just last season after David Moyes’s squad failed to finish in the top four. The previous long run of success which came under Sir Alex Ferguson was more of an anomaly given the legendary manager’s ability to perform even with an average squad. Manchester United no longer have the right to be in the competition just because of their name.

And, despite the recent drop in form for their Manchester rivals, the Blues have a bigger squad with arguably better players. But Herrera isn’t deterred by City’s top players, and insisted United will have important players back in the team:

"“Man City has a bigger squad, with very good players, but I think right now we can fight against them. I’ve told you before we have recovered some important players for us. They are going to help us and there is a lot of experience like Antonio [Valencia] and Ash [Young]. I am optimistic.“We are just one point behind them. They have to play against Newcastle away – Newcastle are playing to avoid relegation so it is going to be tough for them. I think in the last game we showed that we are a little bit better than them right now, in this moment. We beat them away in the Manchester derby so we can be optimistic.”"