Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney admits that winning the Europa League is the club’s best chance of getting back into the Champions League next season.
Louis van Gaal’s men were dire in their 2-1 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light earlier today, and the Black Cats looked the better side in the second half as Manchester United kept losing the momentum that they had built just before the break.
The defeat leaves them still six points behind fourth placed Manchester City, but with all the top four teams playing each other tomorrow the Red Devils could see themselves losing further ground once the dust settles after this weekend’s Premier League fixtures.
Rooney conceded that finishing in the top four could be a bridge too far for Manchester United this season and despite the uncertainties of the Premier League, he feels the Europa League could be their ticket to the Champions League.
He admits that the club are not exactly thrilled to be in the competition, but indicated that winning Europe’s second tier competition this season could be Manchester United’s salvation.
relatedNewsStory
"It will be difficult to qualify for the Champions League and the top four now, we know that, so it's a sad day in terms of losing three points and we have to somehow move on", Rooney told the club’s official website.
"You don't know how this Premier League works right now, but we know it will be difficult to finish in the top four and [winning] the Europa League might be the best chance [of qualifying for the Champions League], but that is a long way away.
"It's a competition we didn't necessarily want to be in, but we are and we want to win it. Every game is a big game for us and we have to start again on Thursday."
Manchester United have not won 17 of their last 26 games in all competitions this season.
