Manchester United can build on their 20th league title, insists Ryan Giggs.
A Robin van Persie hat-trick gave the Reds a 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Monday evening, the three points from which make it impossible for Manchester City to catch them at the top of the table. This gives United a record-extending 20th title, and they are now gunning to beat Chelsea’s 2005 record haul of 95 points in a Premier League season.
Looking further ahead, Giggs believes the foundations are already in place for more success in the future. A handful of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad were tasting glory for the first time, and the Welshman believes this will merely make them hungry for more silverware.
“That’s the key to the manager’s success,” he told Sky Sports. “The way he evolves and the way he is always looking forward and shows with the amount of young players we have in the team. These are exciting players and players who are going to be here for a very long time. They’ll hopefully carry on that tradition of competing for trophies.”
Van Persie, as has been well documented, is one of those players who are celebrating a first Premier League title win. The others are goalkeeper David De Gea, defender Phil Jones, midfielders Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa, Nick Powell and Ashley Young, and striker Danny Welbeck. As for Giggs, this was his 13th time as a league champion.
Meanwhile, if United are to top Jose Mourinho’s vintage of eight years ago, they will need to win all of their remaining four matches. The biggest obstacle in achieving this will come on Sunday, when they travel to the Emirates Stadium to take on an in-form Arsenal who are gunning for a top-four finish. Then comes home matches against Chelsea and Swansea City, before the season ends with a trip to West Bromwich Albion on 19 May.
