- Premier League
United's Champions League misery drives us on - Smalling
The misery of being forced to watch other clubs in the Champions League this season is driving Manchester United to ensure that is not their fate next year, says defender Chris Smalling.
Smalling added that even just hearing the Champions League music brings it home to him that United are missing out Europe's elite club competition.
United, however, are on course to qualify for the next season's Champions League, with four successive victories propelling Louis van Gaal's side to fourth place in the Premier League table. Three points from the trip to Southampton on Monday night and United will leapfrog Saints into third place.
Smalling said the bitter experience of being a bystander in European football is all the incentive his United team-mates need.
"You hear the Champions League music when they all line up and it's just a case where we've been in it year after year, so it's a sad time,'' Smalling told United's official website. "We'll be making sure we don't miss out again next time.
"I was watching it the other week. Even when we were in it, I would watch it on the other night anyway. Even more so this year. It's a bit gutting that we're not involved but you can see the standard of football we need to make sure we rise to."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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Premier League 2020/21
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 38 | 27 | 5 | 6 | +51 | 86 |
| 2 | Man United | 38 | 21 | 11 | 6 | +29 | 74 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | +26 | 69 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | +22 | 67 |
| 5 | Leicester | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | +18 | 66 |
| 6 | West Ham | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | +15 | 65 |
| 7 | Tottenham | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | +23 | 62 |
| 8 | Arsenal | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | +16 | 61 |
| 9 | Leeds | 38 | 18 | 5 | 15 | +8 | 59 |
| 10 | Everton | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | -1 | 59 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | +9 | 55 |
| 12 | Newcastle | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | -16 | 45 |
| 13 | Wolves | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | -16 | 45 |
| 14 | Crystal Pal | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | -25 | 44 |
| 15 | Southampton | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | -21 | 43 |
| 16 | Brighton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | -6 | 41 |
| 17 | Burnley | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | -22 | 39 |
| 18 | Fulham | 38 | 5 | 13 | 20 | -26 | 28 |
| 19 | West Brom | 38 | 5 | 11 | 22 | -41 | 26 |
| 20 | Sheff United | 38 | 7 | 2 | 29 | -43 | 23 |
