Smalling Ready For Physical Test At Villa

Fresh from impressing in the opening-day win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, Chris Smalling is relishing his role as the back four’s senior statesman, but warns that Manchester United will have to be at their best to triumph over a "physical" Aston Villa outfit.

Having also registered three points from their first game, the Villans will be in confident mood as they welcome Louis van Gaal’s men to Villa Park, particularly after new signing Rudy Gestede netted his first goal for the club against Bournemouth, showcasing his colossal aerial ability.

“Gestede is a physical player and his heading ability is remarkable,” Smalling told MUTV. “We’ll have to deal with him and Agbonlahor’s speed as well. They could form a good partnership and it’s a battle that I won’t be stepping back from.

“As a centre-back you need to be that dominant figure and you need to be commanding," he added. "There’s a greater requirement for that when there’s a young back four with players who haven’t played in this league too often. I really relish that chance to step up and that’s what is needed."

United can take great confidence going into this game given the club’s imperious record at Villa Park. The Reds have not lost there since 1999 and the team's no. 12 believes that may be, in part, down to the fans.

“I’m not too sure [what the great record is down to], obviously each game has its own story”, Chris commented. “Villa Park’s a great stadium to play in and with our fans so close to the pitch you can hear them throughout, so it really gives you that edge.

“I think that it’s crucial [for us to lay down a marker away from home]. We’ve had a good start, but we really need to kick on now as we can’t afford to be chasing teams like last year.”