Pogba optimistic about United's top-four chances

Sport360 staff 19:12 06/05/2017
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  • High on belief: Paul Pogba

    Paul Pogba hopes to boost Manchester United’s top four hopes with a win at Arsenal on Sunday, despite Jose Mourinho’s insistence that they have already blown it.

    Fresh from Thursday’s 1-0 win at Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, the Red Devils face a crunch Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.

    Manchester City’s comprehensive victory at Crystal Palace means fifth-placed United arrive at the Emirates Stadium four points shy of a Champions League berth with just four matches remaining.

    United have little wriggle room yet Mourinho intends to rest players in north London, saying they wasted their “last chance” to reach the top four by drawing 1-1 at home to struggling Swansea last weekend.

    Prioritising the Europa League makes sense as the competition offers a Champions League place to the winners, but Pogba has not given up on a top-four finish just yet.

    “Of course, we have to believe,” he said. “Obviously, we want to do it and we can. Of course we’re strong enough, we are Manchester United and we can do this.

    “To be in the top four, our mind has to go there, and we also want to win the Europa League. “We have to keep our heads on the challenge and the big objective; we want to achieve the big goals, not the small ones.

    “We’re confident of that. We’re young and fresh.”

    It would be wrong to say all of United’s players are fresh, though, which is why Mourinho will make changes at Arsenal.

    Thursday’s match-winner Marcus Rashford is likely to be one of them after limping off towards the end in Vigo and having played more minutes since the start of April than any other of the club’s attackers.

    Rashford’s game-time and performances recently led Mourinho to express his belief that it would be nonsensical for the teenager to go with England to this summer’s Under-21 European Championship.

    A report has suggested the Football Association will give United the final say on whether he takes part in Poland and Press Association Sport understands nothing is set in stone yet.

    Arsenal are likely to be without Granit Xhaka after the Switzerland midfielder suffered a kick on his ankle which forced him off in last weekend’s defeat to local rivals Tottenham and is not expected to recover in time to face the Red Devils.

    David Ospina is fit following a back complaint, Shkodran Mustafi has returned to full training after a thigh injury but Lucas Perez (thigh) faces another game on the sideline after a slight setback.

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