Scholes: United will reach Champions League

Paul Scholes is confident Manchester United can win the Europa League and finish in the top four, as they chase Champions League football on both fronts this season.

The intense fight for a top-four place in the Premier League is gathering pace with the end of the campaign in sight, but United know it may not be a disaster if they fail to overhaul the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.

They can still qualify for Europe’s premier competition with victory in the Europa League and they face Anderlecht in the quarter-finals next month.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have finished in the top four just once.

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But Scholes, who spent his entire career at Old Trafford, likes what he has seen under manager Jose Mourinho and expects him to deliver the goods.

“It has to be one of those ways but I think, both ways, they will do it,” he said.

“The league is going to be tough and they have got three crucial away games at Arsenal, Tottenham and Man City.

“If they can come out of them with five, possibly six points, then I think it will be very good and that will set them up for the top four.

“With the Europa League, I think they are rightly favourites. They are by far the biggest club left in it and have probably got the best squad.

“Lyon could potentially be the team they have to worry about and it is not going to be straightforward, but they have got a great chance of winning the Europa League.”