Maurizio Sarri has claimed it would not be a failure for Chelsea if they did not qualify for the Champions League this season.

The Chelsea head coach takes his side to Old Trafford on Sunday knowing that a victory over ­Manchester United would put a place in the Premier League’s top four within their grasp.

But he said it had already been a “good” campaign for the club and denied that their season could only be deemed a success if they ­qualified for Europe’s premier ­competition.

Asked if it would be a failure for Chelsea if they did not reach the Champions League for the second successive season, Sarri said: “No. No, we played a [League Cup] final, we lost the final on penalties. We are in the semi-final in the Europa League. So, the season, at the ­moment, is good.

“Of course we have two very, very strong targets: we want the top four in the Premier League and we want to get to the final of the ­Europa League. If we are able to get to the final then we will want to win the final. And so I think the season is, at the moment, good.”