David Moyes says he is targeting nothing less than
Manchester United's third Champions League title this season.
Sir Alex Ferguson's successor appeared to play down
United's chances of winning the competition at the weekend, admitting he does
not have the "five or six world-class players" a victorious squad
needs.
But ahead of Wednesday's Group A meeting with Shakhtar
Donetsk, Moyes argued he would be defaulting on his duties as a United manager
if he did not aim for glory in Lisbon next May.
"Of course we'll try to win the Champions
League," said the Scot, who has overseen three defeats in his opening six
Premier League games as boss.
"That's part of the job at Manchester United and
I'll do everything I can to try to make that happen."
Rio Ferdinand has a minor groin injury and did not travel
with the United squad, although Moyes was planning to rest the centre-half in
any case.
"Rio has a slight groin problem," said the
Scot. "It is nothing serious but I was never bringing him anyway."
Anderson, Fabio and Wilfried Zaha were also left in
Manchester, but Robin van Persie is fit to start after coming off the bench
during Saturday's defeat to West Brom.
"He is fit," said Moyes. "We will make a
decision whether we start him or not. He is as good as anybody I have seen. His
football common-sense is fantastic and he is a great goalscorer."
Results will come
"I have
been in situations very similar to this at my old clubs Everton and also at
Preston. The results will come. I have no doubt about that."
David Moyes
And Moyes insists United will turn around their
depressing start to his tenure after the defending Premier League champions
slithered into the bottom half of the table following their worst start to a
campaign since 1989.
"I have been in situations very similar to this at
my old clubs Everton and also at Preston," he said.
"You get on and you do the right things. I haven't
changed what I have done. I will continue to do that. The results will come. I
have no doubt about that."
Moyes may not have taken too kindly to the intense
scrutiny being placed not just on results, but his public utterances and he
bristled when informed Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu had questioned his recent
squad rotation.
"It never caused Sir Alex Ferguson any problem when
he did it," he said.
Henry Winter, Shaun Custis and Andy Dunn assess how David
Moyes is adjusting to life with the Premier League champions.
But this is the high-profile role Moyes put himself
forward for when he answered the call from Ferguson last spring, and the point
was made again when fans turned out to greet his team in their arrival in
Donetsk on Tuesday evening.
"It is always the thing at Manchester United,"
said Moyes. "Everyone is interested in them. It is a talking point for
everybody throughout the world. That is why it is, for me, the greatest club.
"It is a great honour to be the manager. Even our
arrival here in Donetsk has been greeted with a lot of supporters at the
airport. It is a great thing."
Culled for Skysports
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