Roy Keane has disagreed with Cristiano Ronaldo that Manchester United should be satisfied with a top-three finish in the Premier League, insisting the club should be striving for the title and nothing else.
Keane made the admission ahead of United's clash with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday evening.
Following a below-par campaign so far, Ronaldo, in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports earlier this week, revealed that United should be accepting nothing less than a top-three finish, with the club, ahead of kick-off on Saturday, finding itself in seventh, following a difficult season so far.
However, despite Ronaldo's rallying cry displaying a sense of passion and motivation, Keane has disagreed with his former team-mate, insisting the club should be focused on sitting at the very top of the league and nothing else.
"I disagree with that," Keane told Sky Sports in response to Ronaldo's comments. "If you're playing for Man United your mindset should be that you're at the very, very top. We have had this conversation many times before and they should at No.1.
"But where they they are at the moment, the reality is, they are up against it. Their performances haven't been great, some of the results particularly.
"This is a good game for Man United tonight, coming to Villa Park; they have got a good record here.
"They are missing one or two important players but this is a chance to kick-start their season and finish fourth and get their hands on a cup."
Earlier this week, Ronaldo said: "Manchester United should win the league or be second or third. I don't see other positions for Manchester United to be honest, I don't see. In my eyes, I don't accept that our mentality be less than to be in the top-three.
"We are capable to change things now. I don't know the specific way; I'm a player, not the coach, the president. I know the way but I'm not going to mention it here.
"What I can say and something I can say we are in control, we can do it better, all of us. Manchester belongs in important things, we have to change that."
Keane's comments match those of fellow former United man Wayne Rooney, who also disagreed with Ronaldo's admission, with the now-Derby County manager also admitting that the Reds should be pushing for top spot.
"Manchester United have to be a top one team, not top three, and I think that’s the demands the fans put on you, the demands that club has," said Rooney.
"Of course they’re going through a very difficult period at the minute, but make no mistake that’s a club that has to be winning championships.
"It has to be winning trophies, and that’s the pressure we come in with playing or working at Manchester United. That’s where they need to get back to. I’m sure they’re trying to do the right things to get them back to that place."
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