“I think this is a really good start to getting to that phase, but, as I say, we are still in two really important tournaments alongside the Premier League, so I see it as the beginning of the most important phase of the season.
“I see it more in the way that we are going through a really important phase now, with the FA Cup and Europa League coming up, and obviously the Premier League also.
United managed that last term by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final and host Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday, before travelling to Spain for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad.
United will look to kick on in this weekend’s FA Cup tie against Fulham, when Patrick Dorgu begins a domestic ban that also includes the Premier League matches against Arsenal and Leicester.
“If you see us play against Liverpool, who is most likely champions of this season, against City, Arsenal with 10 men, then you see that we have a lot of quality,” De Ligt said.
