Bruno Fernandes has urged Manchester United to use the "spicy" FA Cup quarter-final win against Liverpool as fuel for a late surge in their troubled season.
Erik ten Hag's side came from 2-1 and 3-2 down to beat bitter rivals Liverpool 4-3 after extra-time at raucous Old Trafford Sunday.
Amad Diallo's last-gasp winner eased the pressure on under-fire boss Ten Hag and kept United in contention to salvage silverware from their rocky campaign.
"The game got a little bit spicy, a little more special because it's an FA Cup game and if you lose, you're out," United captain Fernandes said.
"We know the rivalry between fans, we know how United fans wanted us to win the game to give us something to celebrate because it's not been great for us."
United will face Championship club Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley in April.
Before then, Fernandes wants his team-mates to take the momentum from the victory over Liverpool and turn it into a sustained winning streak.
After Ten Hag began his United reign with defeats against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford last season, it was a victory against Liverpool in the Premier League that kick-started a largely successful debut campaign for the Dutch coach.
United won the League Cup to end a six-year trophy drought, reached the FA Cup final and clinched a third-placed league finish.
Portugal midfielder Fernandes hopes Sunday's result can be the turning point as they look to snatch a place in next season's Champions League.
"We've talked about turnarounds but have never done the next step. I think we have to understand the FA Cup is a thing and the Premier League is another one," he said.
"In the league now, we have 10 matches to go and we don't depend on ourselves but as we saw Tottenham Hotspur losing points to Fulham, Aston Villa losing points to West Ham United.
"But our main goal is to not lose points to Brentford away (after the international break). We need to put our effort into winning that game."
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted it was the first time he had seen his players struggle physically as they played their 46th game of a hectic season.
The defeat was only Liverpool's third in domestic competitions this season.
