Chris Smalling: Manchester United CAN overtake Man City and Arsenal for second place

CHRIS SMALLING says Manchester United are aiming to finish the season with a flourish by overtaking neighbours Manchester City and Arsenal to steal the Premier League’s runners-up spot.

00:10, Tue, Mar 17, 2015 | UPDATED: 08:52, Tue, Mar 17, 2015

Chris Smalling GETTY

Chris Smalling is backing Manchester United to finish the season strongly

United finally provided some conclusive evidence that they are making progress under Louis Van Gaal as they blew away Tottenham on Sunday.

The result moved Van Gaal’s team to within two points of faltering City and one behind in-form Arsenal as the intriguing chase for Champions League qualifying places hots up.

United’s minimum requirement in a transitional season is fourth place to return to Europe’s top club competition but central defender Smalling says they are now aiming higher.

“Fourth is the minimum but second is a realistic target – especially after City’s result at the weekend (they lost 1-0 to Burnley),” he said.

“And if we keep on performing like we did against Tottenham I don’t see why we can’t give it a good push.

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“It is all very close. There is only a point between us and Arsenal and two between us and City. It’s open all the way up to second place and we will be aiming for that. We want Champions League football back here. It’s a must.”

Smalling – who impressed watching England boss Roy Hodgson by keeping Harry Kane on a tight leash – reckons the performance and result against Spurs was the perfect platform for United’s visit to old foes Liverpool on Sunday, plus two more crucial games after the international break against Chelsea and City early next month.

“It just clicked against Spurs,” he said. “It was our best performance of the season and it will stand us in good stead. Confidence will be good now for one of the biggest games of the season. Hopefully we can play like that again.

“They are all pretty much ‘six-pointers’ now, where we can do ourselves a favour while doing some big damage to our rivals as well.”