UNITED SPECIAL Smalling praising Jose’s game plan

CHRIS Smalling insists Jose Mourinho’s plan worked to perfection against Sevilla.

United held on for 0-0 draw in Spain and managed just one shot on target in 90 minutes. But Smalling claims that was all part of Mourinho’s plan insisting it is advantage United ahead of the Champions League last 16 second leg at Old Trafford next month.

“I think the game plan was executed as the manager wanted,” said the defender. “I think they tired in the second half in the last 20 minutes when we applied pressure. It was very open in the second half, but it’s a result which means we’re confident at home.”

United were left relying on a wonder save from David de Gea to deny Luis Muriel in the first half to keep the scores level.

“Sevilla dominated possession and the chances, but couldn’t capitalise. Smalling added on MUTV: “It opened up in the second half and obviously in the last five minutes of the first half, David made a couple of good saves - but other than that they didn’t really have many clear-cut chances.

“It’s in our hands at home - you have to win at home to go through anyway.

“The atmosphere was very good, you can tell it was emotional and we had to dig in at times.”

United face Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday as they battle to hold on to second place in the Premier League.

Victor Lindelof says focus must now turn to that crucial clash.

“It’s an important week for us,” he said. “Now we have to go back to Manchester, relax and recover because we have another important game.” JOSE Mourinho is no firefighter - as Paul Pogba is rapidly discovering.

He’s more likely to pour petrol on the flames than water.

So any hope that the ongoing issues between United’s manager and their most expensive player will reach a peaceful conclusion look fanciful right now.

The question is whether they can reach a resolution before it’s too late.

Had Mourinho not just signed a new contract, his position might be the one in jeopardy.

Instead it is Pogba who has been left needing to fall back in line if his much celebrated return isn’t to end in misery for all parties concerned.

Right now, his future looks uncertain at best after Mourinho dropped him for second time this month - on this occasion in a crucial Champions League tie against Sevilla. It was a show of power from Mourinho - and evidence that he is in little mood to kill the debate surrounding his star player.

United should be more worried about David de Gea than Paul Pogba

“You always go to the one who doesn’t start,” he responded when BT Sport questioned why Pogba had been dropped just 24 hours after Mourinho suggested he had recovered from the illness that ruled him out against Huddersfield at the weekend. Even by Mourinho’s standards it was a remarkable statement.

This wasn’t just any player. Nobody was asking why Matteo Darmian was among the substitutes.

This was an £89m world-record signing. A player Mourinho convinced United’s hierarchy to swallow their pride and re-sign after losing him for virtually nothing just a few years earlier.

And he is very much the man in question with ongoing speculation around his relationship with his manager.

While Mourinho insists he wants to put an end