Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling has admitted that the club are not getting carried away with their return to the Champions League next season.

The Red Devils missed out on this year's tournament due to their seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season, but Louis van Gaal has steered them back into Europe's premier competition at the first time of asking.

However, Smalling has described it as only "a step" and expects the team to be challenging for trophies next year.

He told reporters: "It's not a season where we're massively celebrating, it's a step. Next season we know that won't be good enough. Hopefully next season we'll be having a parade with something to really cheer about.

"I think as the season's gone on, we've got better, but Chelsea's consistency from day one has won them the title. Sometimes they didn't play well and still won games."

United sit fourth in the league table.