Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund said he does not like the narrative that a Europa League triumph would "rescue" the club's torrid campaign.
United face Lyon in a crucial Europa League quarterfinal first leg on Thursday -- a must-win tie where failure would mean missing out on Champions League football next season and triggering a financial nightmare that would leave a £100 million ($128m) hole.
However, from a sporting perspective, Højlund said United are just in an "early" period of their project and insisted the team is headed in the right direction.
When asked if lifting the trophy would rescue their season, Højlund told ESPN on Disney+ in Denmark: "Yeah, I guess, I guess so in some ways, but then again, I don't like the, the word 'rescue.' It's more of a learning curve and and trying to have a good fundamental to build on for next season."
"I guess we're still quite early in the phase, aren't we?" he added. "Then again, we are going in the right direction, I think.
"We're starting to understand each other, but like the coach is saying ... every time he goes in the media he says we have so much to improve and everybody needs to do better and we need to develop all of us, so that's the target."
Failure to overcome Lyon across two legs will mean Ruben Amorim's side will end the season without silverware, compiling the misery of their worst-ever Premier League campaign.
