Manchester United legend Arthur Albiston has stressed the importance of Jose Mourinho’s side getting off to a good start in their Champions League campaign against Young Boys tonight in order to reach the next stage of the competition.
Mourinho’s men have travelled to Switzerland to open their European campaign in Bern against Young Boys.
Manchester United comfortably won their group last season but crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 at the hands of La Liga outfit Sevilla in a disappointing way.
They have been placed in a far trickier group this time around and Albiston admits that maximum points from the two games against their Swiss opponents could be the key to making it to the knockout rounds for Manchester United.
Speaking to MUTV, the former defender said: “There is no real room for error.
“Without being disrespectful to Young Boys, they are not the biggest team in the group – Juventus and Valencia are stronger.
“If you take six points from the two games against the Swiss opponents, you could get through the group.
“[Around] ten points should be enough. You have got to be unlucky to not get through with ten.”
Albiston admits that he would prefer to see a nice long run for Manchester United in the Champions League this season, but insisted that their first priority must be to make it out of the group stage and remain in the competition for its return in March.
“The target is getting out of the group and if we can put that to bed in December, then we can worry about the knockouts.
“It’s a different season a few months later.
“Yes, we would love to have a long run in this competition but the first criteria is to get off to a good start.
“And when in the first or second week of December, when it gets shut down for four months, you have got to make sure you are in it.”
