Pereira: Man Utd desperate for a trophy to show evolution under Solskjaer

With Manchester United having reached the EFL Cup semifinals, Andreas Pereira admits the desire for silverware is strong within the team.

Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira feels his side has improved under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Andreas Pereira admits Manchester United are "desperate" to win a trophy this season and prove progress has been made under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Pereira helped United reach the EFL Cup semifinals on Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over Colchester United at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils won that competition, along with the Europa League, in Jose Mourinho's first season in charge in 2016-17, but they have not lifted a trophy since. With United already 24 points behind leader Liverpool in the Premier League, the cup competitions once more represent their best chances of winning a first piece of silverware since Solskjaer took charge.

Pereira says the drive for success within the squad, particularly those players to progress from United's academy, is burning strongly this season as it looks to show how it has improved since Solskjaer replaced Mourinho.

"We are desperate to get a trophy," he said. "Everybody at the academy is raised to win trophies. We have been winning trophies since the academy days and we want to do it now with the first team. We have evolved a lot. Mentally we are more patient, we work for each other more and more and we have more confidence on the pitch."

"It is all the United way we play, on the counter-attack. We are very direct and the manager's played a massive part in that. Hopefully, we can keep that going and he can stay for many, many more years. We have to keep it going and keep this form."

Standing in United's way in the last four of the EFL Cup is holder Manchester City, whose last defeat in the competition came against United at Old Trafford in 2016. United won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the league this month and Pereira says they will approach the two-legged tie with no fear.

"It's a good game," he said. "We are up for it. We know it is difficult. Derbies are always special. We will never fear it, but the last game, we won, and now we have to look at it from a different perspective. It is a new game, a semi-final and they will come with something new because they know for sure they lost last time and they will do something different. We will prepare like we did last time and hopefully win."