Young aiming to make up for near misses by finally landing silverware with United

By Sportsmail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 13:36 GMT, 17 March 2012 | UPDATED: 13:36 GMT, 17 March 2012

Ashley Young has had enough of being a nearly man. In a Manchester United squad containing so many players who have had the winning habit for years, Young is one of the few who have nothing.

The nearest he came to an end of season battle for supremacy was in his Aston Villa days as the midlands club tried to gatecrash those coveted Champions League places.

Three times they were agonisingly close, three times they came up short, finishing sixth on each occasion. So, now he has swapped Villa Park for Old Trafford, Young has no wish to miss out again.

Another one bites the dust: Ashley Young (right) in action during Manchester United's midweek Europa League exit to Athletic Bilbao

He said: 'So many times that Champions League slot was there and then it just got taken away.

'I have new challenges now. Winning trophies and titles is vitally important for me.

'I have the chance to do that with United.'

It is why the 26-year-old made his £18million move last summer, snubbing interest from Liverpool, amongst others, in the process.

Young could not say he has made a seamless transition, there have been far too many injuries for that.

However, after playing an integral part in United's blistering start to the season, Young is rediscovering his form at just the right time given fellow wide man Nani is sidelined with an ankle injury and Antonio Valencia is still to make his comeback from a strained hamstring.

'I am enjoying every bit of it,' said Young. 'From the time you sign for a club like United you get that winning mentality.

One to go: United sit top of the Barclays Premier League table

'Every competition we have entered we have wanted to win and for me personally it is exciting times.

'I said from day one when a club like Manchester United come calling, you don't turn it down. It was a no-brainer.

'It got even more exciting last Sunday, when we found ourselves top of the league.

'We have 10 games left now. We are concentrating on ourselves, like we have done all season and hopefully, by the end, we get that 20th title.'