Louis van Gaal would rather Manchester United win FA Cup than Europa League

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed he would rather win the FA Cup than the Europa League. The European competition appears to be United's best route back into the Champions League next season but Van Gaal says he has his eyes fixed on FA Cup glory.

United are fifth in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, but victory in the Europa League would ensure they qualify for next season's Champions League.

"My personal wish is to win the FA Cup. I have already won the Uefa Cup and I want to win a title in England," said the United manager, who won the Uefa Cup and Champions League with Ajax in the 1990s.

"That is why I have come to this country, to make Manchester United champions or give them a title [in England], but I understand - for Manchester United it is much more important to win the Europa League because it will give us the Champions League. It is not only my best route, but ours I think," Van Gaal explained, according to ESPN.

However, United - who start their Europa League campaign on 18 February against Danish side Midtjylland - face a stiff challenge to win European football's lesser competition, which still includes the likes of Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli.

"I think it is also difficult to win [the Europa League] because there are also very good European teams in the League. We are with the last 32 teams, so we still need to win a lot of rounds," he said. "It's a way to get into the Champions League. It's a fantastic aim for us to win this cup because Manchester United have never won it."