• Premier League

Moyes 'won't be long' restoring United

ESPN staff
March 15, 2014
Manchester United manager David Moyes clarifies Robin van Persie's speculation over his future with the club

Manchester United manager David Moyes has predicted it "won't be too long" before his club are challenging for top honours in the game once again.

Moyes has fallen a long way short of his targets in a turbulent first season as United boss, with the club seventh in the Premier League. United face an uphill task to qualify for next season's Champions League, with Sunday's opponents Liverpool and Arsenal 11 points ahead of them in third and fourth place respectively.

Liverpool's trip to Old Trafford is followed by a Champions League last-16 clash against Olympiakos next Wednesday, where the home side will look to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit.

However Moyes is keeping a cool head, suggesting it is a matter of time before the good times roll once more at his club.

"We will regroup and get ourselves back together and hopefully it won't be too long," he is quoted in several newspapers.

"Positive results [in the next two games] would make a big, big difference if we could do that and we will try and do so. People could change their views, but I can only take one game at a time.

"Old Trafford [performances] have been our problem. It is there we need to pick ourselves up and play better. This is a great team with great players, but we're working to alter certain things.

"You know what we are. We are a work in progress, but I hope we can show what we are capable of in those games. We are capable of winning those games. The players have shown it to me recently. Definitely with the exception of Olympiakos game I think we have played quite well.

"The introduction of Juan Mata, for example, and making sure we get the best from Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie together. Overall we won't change the traditions, the style, what's expected here at Manchester United."

Moyes earlier suggested that Liverpool go into Sunday's game against United as favourites, but he insisted the idea of derailing their opponents' surprise title challenge is not his chief motivation this weekend.

"These games against Liverpool are big, no matter what," Moyes added.

"It's massively important for the supporters and it's important to us, because we want to keep clawing the points back and see what position we can get ourselves into.

"My biggest goal is not affecting Liverpool's title challenge, my biggest goal is to get Manchester United winning the title. That's my goal and will be my goal every year I'm in the job. Will it be to stop others winning the league? No, that won't mean much to me."

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