Chris Smalling has admitted that Champions League qualification is a must for Manchester United this season.

United are absent from Europe's elite competition this campaign after a seventh-placed Premier League finish last term saw them fail to qualify.

"I was watching it the other week," Smalling told the club's official website. "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.

"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. We'll be making sure we don't miss out again next year."

The Red Devils sit fourth in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Southampton on Monday.