Manchester United assistant coach Steve Holland has challenged the squad to chase the Premier League leaders, even with a title bid almost out of reach, as the club sit third and close in on returning to the Champions League for next season.
The Red Devils are 15 points behind Arsenal and trail second-place Manchester City by six, with seven league matches left. United’s position has strengthened after Arsenal’s win over Sporting CP confirmed that England will have five Champions League spots next season.
United’s surge has come under interim head coach Michael Carrick, whose tenure has brought seven wins from 10 Premier League fixtures, alongside two draws and a single defeat. Across the last 10 matchdays, no side has collected more points than
United’s 23.
During that stretch, Arsenal have been the only club to outscore United, hitting 21 league goals to the Red Devils’ 20. Holland has used this run to underline the standards expected, arguing that targets must go beyond simply securing one of the Champions League places on offer.
The current Premier League picture around United’s position can be summarised as follows.
| Team | Position | Points behind Arsenal | Games remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1st | 0 | 7 |
| Manchester City | 2nd | 9 | 7 |
| Manchester United | 3rd | 15 | 7 |
Speaking to the club’s website, Holland stressed that the mentality must stay ambitious, even if catching Arsenal is highly unlikely. Holland wants the squad to think like title contenders, rather than a side that is satisfied with only a top-four, or now top-five, finish.
"I think the language we should be using as this club is to finish as close as we possibly can to the top," Holland told the club’s website, framing the remaining fixtures as a test of how far United can close the gap before the campaign ends.
The assistant coach also expanded on the internal message to the dressing room, explaining that the staff have tried to keep the focus on performance and results, rather than the shifting table below United. Holland highlighted that the context still makes Champions League qualification an important short-term target.
Assistant coach Steve Holland provides insight from our Dublin training camp 🇮🇪Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 8, 2026
"I don't know how possible that is, but that has to be the challenge always: to get as close as we possibly can to the top. We've been speaking more to the players really about winning our matches, rather than thinking too much about what's happening below. But clearly given the context, to finish in the Champions League places would be a good situation for us, but I think always we should be looking for more than that. "
Attention now turns to Manchester United’s next Premier League assignment on 13 April, when Leeds United visit Old Trafford. Leeds arrive as FA Cup semi-finalists, adding another edge to a long-standing rivalry, while United attempt to maintain their strong league form and keep pressure on Arsenal and Manchester City.
