Champions League beckons for Saints: Tadic

AFP/LondonSouthampton are on track to qualify for next season’s Champions League, the club’s Serbian striker Dusan Tadic believes. He was the goal hero for the Saints on Sunday in a fighting 1-0 win away to Manchester United. It was Southampton’s first win at Old Trafford since 1988 and moved the south-coast club above United into third in the Premier League. If they stay there through until the end of the season they will have made it into the Champions League at the end of a season in which many thought they would struggle given the number of quality players they lost to transfers. “Yes, the season is long, but we have a great belief,” he said when asked whether Saints were good enough to end the season in the top four. “We have beaten Arsenal and Manchester United and they are direct opponents for what we want to achieve. That’s really important. We just need to believe in our skills and to see what is good and what is not good, and to keep going.” Tadic was one of 10 signings new manager Ronald Koeman made in the summer to offset the impact of losing the likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren. The 26-year-old was part of the Saints team that lost to United last month even though their opponents only managed two shots on target. Tadic felt it was fitting, therefore, that Saints won on Sunday despite having just one shot on target themselves. “Last time we played really well and deserved to win, but we didn’t get three points,” the midfielder said. “Now we did get three points even though maybe we don’t deserve to.” Despite scoring the winner, Tadic was criticised by Koeman for removing his shirt in his goal celebration - an act that earned him a booking. Tadic himself admits he has no idea why he celebrated like he did. “You never think about the celebration. I don’t know why I do that, but it doesn’t matter,” the former FC Twente man said. “It’s important that we are all happy.”United top Premier League salary list Manchester United have the highest wage bill in the Premier League, according to figures released on Monday. United paid out a total £214.8 million ($324 million) on salaries in the 2013-14 season, while English champions Manchester City’s wage costs dropped last season to £205 million. Chelsea, currently top of the Premier League, paid £190.5 million, up eight per cent from £176 million, according to the club’s annual accounts which were lodged at Companies House this week. Arsenal are next in the pay league with a total wage bill of £166.4 million, while the scale of Southampton’s recent success is illustrated by the fact that their wage bill was a fraction of their top-four rivals. The latest figures available for 2012-13 show the Saints, currently third in the Premier League after beating United on Sunday, paid out just £47.1 million in salaries. Chelsea’s accounts confirm the club’s announcement in November that they made a £18.4 million profit last season. Sales of several players, including Juan Mata to United, allowed the club to overturn a £49.4 million loss on the season before and should make them assured to comply with UEFA’s financial fair play rules.