Smalling: We Shaded It

Chris Smalling feels Manchester United were the better side in the derby stalemate with Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The England international played his part in a tense 0-0 draw, as both defences remained resolute throughout. The centre-back watched on as Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard threatened and almost broke the deadlock twice himself in the second half, heading narrowly wide from a corner before forcing Joe Hart into a save.

Smalling later admitted it was a game in which the two sides simply cancelled each other out: "I think it’s one where it could have been a little bit more [exciting]. Both teams were very compact and well organised, and there weren’t too many chances,” he told MUTV after the final whistle.

"I think we probably edged it overall with the chances we had in the second half. Towards the end, you could tell that, for the last 20-30 minutes, they were hanging on and bringing on defenders, so it was on us to really push forward and we did. On another day, the chances we had might have gone in."

Smalling spoke of his relief at shutting out City, as United recorded a first clean sheet against their local rivals since 2010. "I think if we came into today's fixture and, if someone told us we would get a clean sheet, we would have taken your hand off.

"They’re a very fast, attacking team and I think they were set up for the counter attack, especially with Raheem [Sterling] and [Kevin] De Bruyne who are very quick, so we had to be on our toes."

The draw leaves United fourth in the table and keeps the Reds within two points of leaders City. Smalling believes the club are still capable of maintaining pace with such key opponents. "We can always be up there or thereabouts and, when we come up against the teams who are around us – obviously Arsenal was a blip – and against the other teams, we have quite a good record.

"I think we can take a lot of confidence from this game. We more than held our own and we had the better of the chances, so I think we are still in the title race."