Chris Smalling talks up playing alongside Daley Blind at Manchester United: 'He has put his critics to bed'

Chris Smalling and Daley Blind before kick-off Getty

“Ever since he joined the club he has rarely been injured. He has been able to bang out the games and have a very high consistency,” he said. “As [an] obviously.. natural midfielder, he has that passing range and ability down to a tee. He brings a lot to our defensive line in being able to play the ball out and cut through teams. I think he deserves more plaudits. Everyone is standing up and taking note that Daley is one of the mainstays of this team and he is keeping us ticking.

Blind blocks Romelu Lukaku in Sunday's win over Everton

“One of the main reasons the manager first put him there was he could play on the ball and he was a left footer. He has got a lot more to his game than any of us really thought. In one on one duals for instance, as you saw against Everton, Lukaku didn't get any change from him. Daley is not the biggest or strongest but he is very clever and smart and big strikers or fast strikers don't get any change from him. When someone like Lukaku gets you in the position where he's holding you off it is key to try and nick it in front of him. He can pin you in the box but he didn't get anything out of Daley.”

Everton’s Leighton Baines offered a candid interpretation of Sunday’s defeat, in which the side’s work-rate dipped after a promising opening.

“You are only really secure as individuals when you are winning games but even then we will make changes from time to time with what is required tactically,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “Results have an impact on that because chemistry and confidence go hand in hand, if you start winning games. Look at the teams who are having success this year and you’d say they have chemistry. If I had to say one thing, I just don’t know if it’s there with us at the moment, for whatever reason.”