Manchester United winger Ashley Young insists that his team are not far behind Premier League champions Chelsea.
Jose Mourinho’s side were crowned champions in late April and secured their first league title after a gap of five years. The Red Devils endured a difficult start to their campaign under Louis van Gaal and ultimately finished in fourth place.
In the final league standings, Manchester United finished 17 points behind the English champions. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and the Manchester outfit were narrowly beaten 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Young, who made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals – including one in the 4-2 derby defeat of Manchester City – and assisting a further five for his team-mates, feels that there isn’t much of a gap in quality between Manchester United and Chelsea.
“I don’t think we’re far behind Chelsea at all”, he wrote on the club website.
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“Chelsea have won the title this season and they’ve had a fantastic season – they had every right to win a league with the start they had.
“But the players are not talking about Chelsea, we’re talking about ourselves, the season we had and the season we’re going to have next season as well.”
Manchester United’s fourth place finish saw them qualify for the Champions League and Young feels making the elite European competition was a target that they are happy to have achieved.
“Firstly, next season brings back Champions League football, that’s what the manager, players and staff wanted to bring back.
“It gives us the opportunity to build upon what we’ve shown this season, hopefully win titles and go and win cups, and we’ve said that next season, like I said before, we’re not far off Chelsea this season, so we want to go out and bring a title back here.”
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