Defender accepts talk of glory may sound ‘stupid’

LUKE SHAW says there is a firm belief at Manchester United they can upset the odds and win the Champions League this season.

The United full-back conceded doubters are almost certainly lined up in their thousands given the team’s inconsistent season.

But Shaw insisted that, with the array of talent they have, the squad believe they can go all the way to St Petersburg in May and land the European showpiece.

“This is the crunch time of the season and it is very important in the league to get some momentum,” he said.

“As a team we believe we can win the Champions League. Not many people on the outside will think it and some will think I’m stupid for saying that, but we have that belief and confidence that we can win it.

“I’m sure everyone in this dressing room – the players, the staff and the management – all have that belief that we can. Now we need to pick some momentum up, get results and keep playing well.”

With the Premier League title out of reach and the FA Cup having already slipped through their fingers, the Champions League represents

United’s only chance of silverware after four seasons without a trophy.

The next hurdle comes on Wednesday when they take on Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital in the first leg of their last-16 clash. And while the odds may be stacked against United going all the way in Europe, they did at least end a sequence of draws with victory against Brighton on Tuesday. Inconsistency has dogged Ralf Rangnick’s time at the club since joining as interim

manager in December, with the German having to wait until games nine and 10 of his reign to claim back-to-back victories.

Shaw called on his teammates to back-up the 2-0 win over the Seagulls in what will be a hostile atmosphere at Elland Road against Leeds on Sunday.

David De Gea, who has been United’s stand-out player this term, welcomed the victory but echoed Shaw’s demands that they grab another win this weekend in order to take that momentum to Spain next week.

“Hopefully the game against Brighton may give us more confidence, more good feelings,” said the goalkeeper, left.

“We have a big game on Sunday against Leeds away – a very difficult game and I think we have to be focused on that.”