Michael Carrick's impressive end to the 2025/26 season saw the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League and reclaim a spot in Europe's top competition.
Following that eye-caching run of form, Carrick agreed a deal as permanent head coach, with the club also backing him heavily in the summer transfer market.
Ahead of a home clash against Azerbaijani outfit Sabah, Carrick praised his players for their drive to return to the UCL, and claimed the challenge now is to remain there.
"It means an awful lot to be back in the Champions League. To challenge yourself against the elite.
"I've said it before, over a long period of time, this football club has been used to challenging with the best and being the best and it's not something you can take for granted.
"We missed out on it for a number of years and now we're back, so it means a lot. It's where we want to be every year. It's where we should expect to be without being ahead of ourselves. It's what we have to push for.
"We made huge steps over the last few months, or a year or so, to make it in and finish the league to be in a strong position.
"Now it's about what's next and pushing into the next chapter, the next phase, the next evolution of the team and squad. This is certainly where we want to be. It is up to us now to make sure we stay."