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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Jake Stokes & Kadeem Simmonds & Jake Stokes

Rio Ferdinand sends message to Manchester United players over top four hopes

Rio Ferdinand has told Manchester United that their aim for the rest of the season should be to qualify for the Champions League.

United entered the season with aspirations of challenging for and winning the Premier League but found themselves in seventh place, 24 points behind league-leaders Man City before the game with Brentford kicked off.

Finishing inside the top four is the best Ralf Rangnick's side can hope for this season, with only five points separating United and West Ham.

The Hammers have two games in hand on the Red Devils and former defender Ferdinand has said that focus has to switch to ensuring the club are in Europe's premier club competition next season.

"This about the group coming together and getting results," Ferdinand said on BT Sport. "Their aim has got to be top four now, not concentrating on individuals.

"He said this, she said that, he didn’t say this — forget that, go out there and play your football. Work hard during the week on the training pitch to get results here, at places like Brentford."

After Brentford, United have an opportunity to close the gap further to West Ham with the two sides meeting at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The fixture will be the last before United take a short mid-season break before returning to face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round, before a league trip to Burnley.

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