Chris Smalling has outlined how Manchester United must improve on the Premier League showing at Wembley against Tottenham when taking on the Londoners in the Emirates FA Cup semi-final.
The Reds conceded a goal to Christian Eriksen, virtually from the kick-off, and it was always going to be an uphill battle even before Phil Jones put through his own net 27 minutes later. The early setback meant Spurs were on the front foot from the outset and Smalling insists that must change in Saturday's teatime kick-off.
Taking encouragement from the 1-0 win over Mauricio Pochettino's men at Old Trafford in October, the central defender feels it is important to ensure Tottenham do not dictate the tempo of what promises to be a blockbuster encounter.
“Obviously, I think we started very slowly in that game and they got the early goal which put us on the back foot,”Smalling explained to MUTV.
“We couldn’t really get back into the game, even though, in the second half, we were a lot better. But I think when we are on the front foot, like the home game when we played them at Old Trafford, I think when you get after them, that’s not something that they like.
"I think both teams will be tactically spot on and then it’s up to the high-class individuals that each team has got to produce something special."
“I think they like to control the game at their own tempo but if we can get after them and disrupt them, we’ve seen that we can beat them.
“I think everybody can expect an exciting game because there is obviously a lot at stake. I think both teams will be tactically spot on and then it’s up to the high-class individuals that each team has got to produce something special. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was how the game will be decided.”
MUTV are on air from 15:00 BST on Saturday to provide exclusive build-up to the big semi-final.