Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has admitted that qualifying for the UEFA Champions League is higher on his priority list than winning the FA Cup. United are set to face holders Arsenal in the quarter-finals on Monday night, a fixture that promises to be a spectacle.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been public over the years with his belief that finishing in the top four and subsequently qualifying for the Champions League is just like winning a trophy. And the United boss seems to echo his thoughts.
“I am no different and I can tell you that we shall do our best against Arsenal, but I also say this: My target at the start of this season was to finish in the top four and that is till my target. If I have a priority, then it is the top four,” stated the Dutchman.
“The Arsenal game is very important. Every match you play has an influence on the next match. We are in a rat race in the Premier League and whoever wins the FA Cup game has a good feeling for the next matches.”
Arsenal and United currently sit third and fourth in the league standings respectively. However, with five points separating third and seventh, both clubs are in a battle royale for the final two Champions league spots. van Gaal must be cautious with United’s upcoming fixtures. Finishing outside the top four may have supporters turning on him, a similar situation ex-manager David Moyes was in last campaign.
“I think that Arsene Wenger is right - I think that Arsene Wenger is always saying right things - for a club, Champions League is the highest level and that's why he's saying that,” he added.
“To finish in the first four is a fantastic result and for us at Manchester United even more I think. If you win the FA Cup you are not in the Champions League but you have won a title.”