- Steve Holland pushed squad for ‘more’ than Champions League qualification
- Reds pushing for top five finish
- Assistant joined Carrick’s setup in January
Since Michael Carrick joined Manchester United as interim boss until the end of the season, things have looked perkier.
Alongside him, he brought Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans, Trevor Binnion and Steve Holland to help the club regain its pride. So far, it has been a job well done with the Reds on track to finish in the Premier League’s top three.
Arsenal’s first leg win against Sporting CP on Tuesday night secured the extra place in Europe’s elite competition. A draw was all that was required, as England won the place via co-efficient rankings over Spain.
Consequently, it means that United now have a buffer in their pursuit of returning to the Champions League next season. Complacency will not be an option under Carrick, especially with the league table as congested as it has been all season. Remarkably, if Liverpool or Aston Villa win their respective European competitions, then even sixth place could secure UCL football.
United are seven points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea with seven games to go.
Holland Wants More
Speaking to the official club website, assistant coach Holland was asked about the prospect of finishing in a UCL position come the end of the season.
He demanded: “I think the language we should be using as this club is to finish as close as we possibly can to the top. I don’t know how possible that is. But that has to be the challenge always: to get as close as we possibly can to the top.
“We’ve been speaking more to the players really about winning our matches, rather than thinking too much about what’s happening below. But yeah, clearly given the context, to finish in the Champions League places would be a good situation for us. But I think always, we should be looking for more than that.”
Some of the career highlights of the 55-year-old have been as an assistant manager to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, and later to Gareth Southgate in the nation’s most successful period in decades. He now has a chance to drive the elite mentality into the current squad.
Squad In Dublin Ahead of Leeds Fixture
United have faced a long 24 day wait to return to Premier League action. The last game against AFC Bournemouth ended in a 2-2 draw. It was only the third time points have been dropped under Carrick’s tenure.
In the meantime, the squad have travelled to Dublin this week for an intensive training camp. Holland said: “Our last game, Bournemouth to Leeds, is a Premier League record I think, in terms of time between games. So the gap has been as big as you can have really.”
On Monday evening, they will face rivals Leeds at Old Trafford, who themselves will be desperate to secure valuable points. Carrick will be speaking to the media in a few days’ time, providing fresh injury updates and his thoughts on the last seven games of the season.
