Manchester United assistant coach Steve Holland has urged the team to "finish as close as we possibly can to the top" of the Premier League this season.

The Red Devils are currently third in the English top-flight, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal and six adrift of second-place Manchester City with seven games to go.

United's Champions League hopes received a huge boost on Tuesday, as Arsenal's victory over Sporting CP secured a fifth spot for English teams in Europe's premier competition next season.

United's turnaround in form came with Michael Carrick's introduction as interim head coach, with the Red Devils winning seven of their 10 league games under the Englishman (D2 L1).

Over the last 10 matchdays, no team has won more points than United (23), while only Arsenal (21) have scored more than the Red Devils' 20 across those games.

Although United's chances of winning the Premier League are near impossible, Holland believes the team must adopt a title-winning mindset.

"I think the language we should be using as this club is to finish as close as we possibly can to the top," Holland told the club's website.

"I don't know how possible that is, but that has to be the challenge always: to get as close as we possibly can to the top.

"We've been speaking more to the players really about winning our matches, rather than thinking too much about what's happening below.

"But clearly given the context, to finish in the Champions League places would be a good situation for us, but I think always we should be looking for more than that."

United return to Premier League action on April 13 as they host rivals and FA Cup semi-finalists Leeds United.