KEVIN Nolan believes missing out on a Champions League place could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Wanderers.

Defeat at Arsenal on Saturday effectively wrecked any chance the Whites had of finishing in the top four of the Premiership.

They still have points to collect before being sure of one of the three UEFA Cup places that are now available after Chelsea and Manchester United won through to the FA Cup Final.

Everton have moved into fifth place on goal difference and Portsmouth, Spurs and Reading are all vying for a top-seven finish.

Wanderers' target now is to finish fifth, where they have spent much of the season, but Nolan says that, whatever happens in the final four games, they will be all the better for the experience.

"We'll learn from all this," the Reebok captain said. "We are newcomers to this European thing. We've only been there one season, so it will probably do us good to get in the UEFA Cup again next year.

"We've just got to make sure that we're at least in that, then, maybe in two or three years, it will be time for us to step up and start doing the business in the Champions League as well as the league.

"These are exciting times here. We've been fifth for a long time now and we don't want to give that up because, if we can't get into the Champions League, we've got to be the best outside the top four."

With the race for Europe reaching fever pitch, Wanderers are relieved at least to have their destiny in their own hands.

"We're not looking for favours," Nolan said. "We've got four games to go and, if we win those games we'll finish in the top five, it's as simple as that.

"We've got some tough games coming up but we've shown before that we can go to big places and get results and we should do it in our home games. Hopefully, on May 13, we could be celebrating fifth spot and European football and who knows, with a bit of luck, fingers crossed and all that, if Arsenal do slip up, we could still be celebrating Champions League football."

Jussi Jaaskelainen, however, is not expecting Arsenal to slip up now after giving themselves a five point cushion.

"We had a big opportunity on Saturday," the goalkeeper said. "We started well but, after that, it just wasn't good enough for the Champions League. It's as simple as that.

"That was our opportunity. We knew they were missing Henry and Van Persie, two of their top players, but they still have strength in their squad. That's why they are going to be in the Champions League next year."

But the Finland international still expects Wanderers to finish fifth.

"That is what we are going for now, " he said. "The top four are all massive clubs and, if we can finish fifth, it would be a great season for us. Whatever happens we want to be in the UEFA Cup.

"It's been one of those seasons when we have been playing well and I thought there was still something more to come from the team. That's why it's a little bit disappointing at the moment. But we just have to keep going because there are still some big clubs behind us and we have to make sure we get that fifth spot, which would be our best ever in the Premier League.

"If we can beat the 58 points we got two years ago, it would be great.

"I'm not sure if it would be good enough for fifth spot, but Europe definitely."