Harry Maguire: Top-4 EPL Finish for Manchester United the 'Most Important Thing'

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire believes finishing in the top four of the Premier League is the team's priority this season, but he has said he expects them to be competitive in all tournaments ahead of their UEFA Europa League last-16 showdown with LASK on Thursday.

The Red Devils are enjoying a strong run of form, with their 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday in the Premier League arguably their best performance of the campaign.

In the Premier League, they remain in contention for a top-four spot—they are fifth, three points behind Chelsea—while silverware is up for grabs in the Europa League and the FA Cup. Maguire told the club's official website he wants to see the team challenge on three fronts:

"Ever since we started in this competition the gaffer [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer] has reiterated how important it is. We wanted to win the group, we won the group; we wanted to go through against Brugge, and we took each game really seriously. It is an important competition, and we know it is a way to get the Champions League football, which is what we are all after."

"Obviously, the most important thing is getting in the top four of the Premier League for the Champions League, and we know that. So it is a competition we want to win; we want to win the FA Cup as well. We want to stay in these competitions for as long as we can."

United will travel to face the Austrian outfit on Thursday in a match that will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.

In the previous round, the Red Devils cruised past Club Brugge:

Given the manner in which United are playing, they will be considered among the favourites to win the Europa League this season.

While they have slumped to some disappointing results this term, Solskjaer has managed to strike the right balance in recent weeks. The addition of Bruno Fernandes in January and an improvement in the team's defensive solidity have been the catalysts for change.

Maguire's form has also been outstanding during that timeframe. Since taking the captain's armband in January, he's been much improved; football writer Daniel Harris praised him and Luke Shaw after the Manchester derby win:

The United Twitter account recently highlighted Maguire's defensive display in the 1-1 draw at Everton:

As much as finishing in the top four seems to be a priority, United supporters will be desperate to see the team lift silverware this season too. 

Against LASK, they will be big favourites to progress, while in the FA Cup quarter-finals, they will fancy their chances against the Premier League's bottom club, Norwich City. For Maguire, lifting a trophy would be a fine way to cap off what is turning into a promising debut season at Old Trafford.