Chris Smalling has told ESPN FC that ending this season second in the Premier League table and lifting a trophy would represent a successful campaign for Manchester United -- but only if they use it as a platform to win bigger prizes.
Jose Mourinho's team have four games left to secure their place as runners-up while an FA Cup semifinal against Tottenham at Wembley this weekend offers the chance to take one step closer to another piece of silverware.
It would be a third major trophy in two seasons under Mourinho.
But after falling short in the Premier League and the Champions League, Smalling said it must act as a springboard ahead of next season.
"It's been our goal for quite a few weeks now," Smalling told ESPN FC. "If we can complete that [finishing second and winning the FA Cup] then I think we would take that and hopefully it will spur us on to make sure we have more of a run at the title.
"We've been second for quite a while so that has to be the bare minimum that we can take and we've got a trophy that could only be a couple of games away."
Smalling has the chance to collect his second FA Cup winners' medal in three years to add to the League Cup and Europa League mementos he won last season.
Every trophy is welcome. But he admits the ultimate aim is to wrestle the title back from City.
"A few weeks ago we knew we had big games against Liverpool, Chelsea, City and not only were they markers to kick us on this year, they were also markers to show that next season we are going to be competing on all fronts and hopefully be in three or four competitions come the end of the season," Smalling said.
"They are good wins and if we can add Tottenham to that list it's going to spur us on for next season as well and give everyone a lift going into the season."
Smalling is better placed than most in the United squad to talk about the bumpy transition from Sir Alex Ferguson to Mourinho via David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.
The 28-year-old, who arrived from Fulham in 2010, was part of Ferguson's title-winning teams in 2011 and 2013.
And he says he can feel what he calls that "winning mentality" seeping back into Old Trafford after nearly two years under Mourinho.
"Obviously, last year we picked up a couple of trophies and I think the manager has instilled that in terms of his training preparations," he says.
"Be it a little game or even when it's more of a recovery session, we've still got that willingness to win, no matter what.
"I think that's something the manager brings and we as the players feel that from the coaches and from him himself.
"I think that's showing by obviously the trophies we won last year and hopefully the trophies that are to come very shortly."