David De Gea
David De Gea believes victory over Arsenal is crucial to ensure Manchester United finish "where they belong" [Reuters].

David de Gea has said that Manchester United need to beat Arsenal next Sunday to prove their credentials for Champions League qualification.

"We have to win Arsenal to be in the top four, where Manchester United belongs", the goalkeeper told Spanish radio station Cope.

De Gea admitted that the beginning of the season had been complicated for Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement: "There has been a big change in the club and we had to assimilate. Now we have got the shape and we are playing well".

Manchester United started the season with some bad results which put in doubt the futue of Davis Moyes, who took Sir Alex Ferguson's job last summer. The Red Devils lost against Liverpool, Manchester City and West Brom and drew with Chelsea in the first six games of the Premier League, leaving them well off the pace in the League.

However, they have shown real improvement recently, winning the last two league games, knocking out Norwich in the Capital One Cup and taking a step forward in their Champions League group, beating Real Sociedad at home and drawing away.

"Last weekend we beat Fulham with a good performance and yesterday against Real Sociedad we showed that the team is physically very hard. Now we have to carry on like that."

However, De Gea lamented not getting the 3 points against the Spanish team because he thinks that United deserved it: "We were better than Real Sociedad in the second half. We created many clear opportunities but this is football and you have to scored. We did not have that luck".