Chris Smalling

If you would have told me that I'd be in a European final back when I was at Maidstone then I wouldn't have believed you.

I love a challenge and when a new centre-back comes in it makes you raise your game. You have to show more, you have to be more consistent.

We take more risks at United than the majority of teams but the manager wants us to play.

You can have so many different demands; trying to please the fans, pleasing the manager, please yourself.

A manager has to have all different sides covered.

I had the offer of places at Leicester and Loughborough to study financial economics.

Everyone has their own traits but if you are being compared to players like Rio Ferdinand then you must be doing something well and hopefully I can keep that going.

I quite like being aggressive and horrible which gives you more confidence to dictate over strikers and to make them feel they have had a frustrating game when they've walked off the pitch, feeling very down.

I've always been a centre-half, to be honest.

My wife is vegan and has been for a few years.

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.

My mum and brother are so proud of me.