Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has said that his side will go into Tuesday's rearranged fixture against Bournemouth with a bad taste in their mouth after missing out on Champions League football.
United's final game of the season was abandoned yesterday amid security concerns over a suspect package found at Old Trafford, although it later emerged that it was only a training device.
Manchester City's draw against Swansea City on what was meant to be the final day of the season means that United can no longer realistically finish in the top four, even with a win over the Cherries.
"We will have to close the Premier League season on Tuesday. It's going to be a bittersweet farewell to Old Trafford, now that we know we won't be playing the Champions League next season," Mata wrote in his blog.
"It leaves us with a bad taste because, even if we enjoyed good moments together throughout the season, we weren't consistent enough to qualify for the top European competition.
"It's true that we found many difficulties along the way, especially if we talk about injuries (up to 15 players in several weeks, as far as I remember), but Manchester United must be ambitious and always fight for everything."
United would finish sixth in the table should they lose to Bournemouth, but a draw or win would see them move above Southampton into fifth.
Barney Corkhill
