Chris Smalling calls for Manchester United to improve domestic form after Youngs Boys win

United narrowly edged past Young Boys on Tuesday night courtesy of Marouane Fellaini’s stoppage-time strike

Chris Smalling believes Manchester United can take inspiration from Marouane Fellaini's winner (Getty)

Chris Smalling has called on Manchester United to pick up their Premier League form after successfully qualifying for the Champions League knock-out stages.

United narrowly edged past Young Boys on Tuesday night courtesy of Marouane Fellaini’s stoppage-time strike, having laboured for much of the evening.

Mourinho’s side came within minutes of failing to score in three consecutive European home matches for the first time in United’s history.

United’s performance, meanwhile, was often just as static and lifeless as the dour goalless draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend.

Smalling believes he and his team-mates can take inspiration from Fellaini’s late winner, however, as they seek a dramatic improvement in their domestic form.

“We had two targets speaking before that Palace game: getting back into that top four and qualifying,” Smalling said. “We’ve qualified now and now it’s all about our league form.”

Mourinho let out his pent-up anger on some water bottle carriers, kicking one and throwing another, after Fellaini’s late winner, with Smalling suggesting a lack of confidence played its part on Tuesday.

“We played well against them away, but we knew that at home they were going to be hard to break down,” he said of a side United managed to beat 3-0 in Switzerland.

“I think we created a lot of chances and it was deserved but they made us work for that. We created some good chances – not just half chances – and I think heads can dip when a few of those don’t go in.

“You could see the relief in our faces knowing that we had qualified and not have to go to Valencia and really make it hard for ourselves.”

It was, in truth, a night that brought more questions than answers, but there was the positive of a second successive clean sheet for United – albeit thanks in no small part to David De Gea’s wonderful second-half save.

“The partnerships keep changing but it was another clean sheet and I think we need to get back to where we were in the last couple of years when we were very hard to break down,” defensive mainstay Smalling said, having paired up with Phil Jones with Victor Lindelof injured.

“It’s not ideal [to change centre-backs]. I think you can see when you have a consistent partnership you can see there is less chances being given away.

“It is what it is and it’s something that we get used to and we’re used to playing with each other in training.”

PA