Robin van Persie admits that weekend FA Cup exits for Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have boosted confidence at Old Trafford that Manchester United can win the trophy this season.
The FA Cup is viewed as the most realistic trophy for the Red Devils to aim for this term, with Manchester City and Chelsea bossing the Premier League title race, while they are not involved in Europe and were knocked out of the League Cup early on.
Shock exits for a clutch of big boys at the weekend have put Manchester United, who need a replay against League Two side Cambridge United to book their place in the next round, amongst the favourites to lift the cup at Wembley in May.
And the Dutch striker admits the squad have been greatly encouraged by weekend results.
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"After the game against Cambridge, everyone was a little bit down, but on Saturday the whole mood changed. City were out, Chelsea were out and suddenly we are in it with a home tie against Cambridge", Van Persie was quoted as saying by the BBC.
"Of the so-called big clubs it is just us, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham.
"But we are the highest [placed Premier League side] left in the competition.
"Does that make us favourite? I don't know. But I am very happy that we are in it."
Despite having won the FA Cup a record eleven times, Manchester United are enduring a lengthy drought in the competition and have not won it since 2004.
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