Smalling: We Let Ourselves Down

Two-goal substitute Chris Smalling says Louis van Gaal told his players that Manchester United’s first-half performance against Burnley was “unacceptable”.

Smalling, who came on for the injured Phil Jones after five minutes, scored within 22 seconds of entering the action, and he ended the game chasing a hat-trick, but it was far from plain sailing for the Reds.

“It wasn’t a 3-1 scoreline game,” Smalling told MUTV. “Especially in that first half, we all let ourselves down. We could have played much better.

“There is [more to come]. But the manager said in the dressing room that the first half was unacceptable and all the players know that. If we can win games playing that badly, then it shows that if we do play well and it all clicks, then there will be a lot better performances at Old Trafford, that’s for sure.”

Burnley’s fitness and fire seemed to take United by surprise, even though Smalling says the players were well aware of the qualities the visitors would bring.

“They came out of the traps, they pressed us well, but we didn’t find the solutions to that in the first half. We were very lucky to come in at half-time ahead. We knew that Burnley run hard and run the channels. We knew their game-plan but we didn’t get to grips with it.”

However, Smalling played a huge part in turning the tide for United in a tough battle. “It was pretty unreal [scoring after 22 seconds],” he said. “It was quite fortunate because when you come on as a defender, it’s never easy but, if you’ve got a corner, it puts you on the front foot straightaway and luckily I got free.”

Smalling described his second header, in injury-time in the first half, as “an important goal”. He added: “It helped settle us a little bit going into the second half. That second half was a little bit more like Manchester United. But that first half… we need to look at ourselves and make sure it never happens again.

“In the second half, we played a lot better and we just needed to get that third goal. We kept pressing them and we were a lot more patient on the ball than we were in the first.”

Robin van Persie got United’s third goal, and although Smalling admitted he wouldn’t have minded completing his hat-trick, he was just happy to see out a tricky match. “I got a little break in the second half and I was running up [towards goal], but it wasn’t to be. I can’t be too greedy!”