Raphael Varane has laid down the standards at Manchester United in a recent interview, insisting the Reds are moving in the right direction after an upturn in form recently.
Varane was out of the side for a longer period at the start of the season but injuries gave the Frenchman the chance to win his place back and since then, he has emerged as one of United’s most reliable players in defence.
Varane’s two-and-a-half-year stay at Old Trafford has been ravaged by injuries and there are rumours that he could end up leaving the club at the end of this campaign.
Regardless, he remains a vital cog in the United machinery and he will be needed between now and the end of the season, with Ten Hag still dealing with major injuries all across the team.
Speaking prior to this weekend’s mouthwatering FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool, Varane has outlined where United aspire to be and hopes to build on the upturn in form since the turn of the year.
“It’s very important,” he told the official Manchester United website on building momentum. “We want to feel comfortable, we want to feel confidence on the pitch. We want to be consistent as much as possible and in the last few months we have been in good form, which is something positive.
“I think it’s a good moment for me, I’m enjoying every game so hopefully we can continue like that until the end of the season.”
The 2018 World Cup winner was quizzed further on United’s goals for this season and the defender quickly confirmed that a seat at Europe’s fine dining table is the aim.
“That’s our target. That’s the objective and what we want to achieve. This and the FA Cup. That’s the two main things we want to keep pushing for and fighting for.”
The Champions League is being revamped next season and depending on how English clubs do in European competitions this season in comparison to other top leagues, a fifth-place finish in the Premier League could be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
United were handed a boost in their bid to break into the top five earlier on Saturday when Tottenham Hotspur suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Fulham, meaning the Reds are now six points behind Ange Postecoglou’s men.
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