Juan Mata has said Manchester United should take a leaf out of Arsenal's book in their attempt to challenge for top honours and added that the "future is bright" under the new stewardship of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
It's been a difficult season for United, who are sixth in the Premier League and finished bottom of their Champions League group. The club are 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa and trail leaders Arsenal by a mammoth 24 points. No team has won more Premier League titles than United (20) but the club's last triumph in the league came in 2013.
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In February, Ratcliffe bought 25% of United in a deal worth £1.03 billion ($1.3bn) and has detailed his ambition to break Liverpool and Manchester City's dominance in the league within three years.
To achieve that target, former United midfielder Mata, who made 285 appearances for the club in his eight years there, believes they should look to replicate Arsenal's approach.
"We know the consistency that Man City is having over the years and for me, the sign of of a great club that is doing the right things on the pitch is one that if [they] don't win, is second or third," Mata told the ESPN FC show on ESPN+.
"So I think the club first needs to focus on getting closer, like Arsenal is doing. Of course Arsenal, a couple of years ago, was far away from winning and now they're very close and I think United, hopefully with the new direction in the football side can do that."
On Ratcliffe's takeover, Mata said: "Sir Jim is going to make some decisions and hopefully they are going to be good ones and I think he is trying to bring United where we all think it should be, which is fighting for the biggest trophies -- Champions League, Premier League -- and hopefully he can do it with his team. So I think the future is bright."
Mata expressed disappointment at United's form in the league this season but said the chance to win the FA Cup, where Erik ten Hag's side will face City in the final, could be the saving grace in their campaign.
"I always focus[ed] on being positive while I was playing there and the thing is, with United, you're not having a great season but you still have the chance to play for FA Cup," Mata said.
"Last season they won a trophy, they play another final and they qualified third for Champions League. So a bad season for United -- I know that it seems super bad -- but still they're playing for the FA Cup, which is the second most important trophy in England. I think we should value that too."