MANCHESTER, England (AFP) — Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick believes the club should be aiming for a record-extending 21st English title rather than settling for a Champions League spot.

A comfortable 3-1 home win over Newcastle on Friday was United’s seventh in eight matches and left them ten points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea with Manchester neighbours City seven ahead.

“We’re continuing to look up and will continue to try to catch them (City and Chelsea),” the midfielder told United’s website ahead of today’s game against Tottenham.

“We’re not satisfied with third. It’s obviously an improvement and we’re getting better but we want to keep looking up.”

After failing to reach Europe’s showpiece tournament last season under David Moyes and then caretaker manager Ryan Giggs, after the Scot was sacked, a top-four finish is the minimum target for United.

Carrick’s return from an ankle injury at the start of November sparked United’s surge of form and the Old Trafford giants have dropped just two points since the England international came back.

Former manager Alex Ferguson went as far as to describe the 33-year-old as “the best English player in the game”.

Carrick countered by saying that new manager Louis van Gaal is benefiting from his squad of potent attacking weapons.

On Boxing Day van Gaal fielded an enviable attacking quartet of Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie.

“That’s four world-class players you’re talking about there,” Carrick said.

“Going into a game with those lads in your team gives us a real threat and a lot of confidence knowing we can create chances and score goals. Against Newcastle they clicked nicely and hopefully in the weeks coming up we’ll see something similar.”

“We can improve and we are improving every match. That’s the most important thing,” said the Dutchman.

“It’s a process not for one day, but for a year.”

Carrick, who played for Spurs for two years before signing for United, thinks he and his teammates must not dwell on punishing schedule as they head to White Hart Lane just 43 hours after disposing of Newcastle.

“Going to Tottenham is always a tough game and to go there two days after this match at 12 noon makes it very tough,” he said.

“But we have to get ourselves ready for that and it’s the same for them as well. It’s a game we look forward to and we go there confident.”

British record signing Angel di Maria is a big doubt because of a pelvis injury he suffered in training on Christmas Eve.

Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj are out through illness. Daley Blind (knee) and Marcos Rojo (thigh) are unavailable, but Luke Shaw took part in a post-match training session on Boxing Day and could feature for the first time since November 22, when he injured his ankle against Arsenal.