Soccer-United need to maintain winning start, says Smalling

Aug 20 (Reuters) - Manchester United centre back Chris Smalling said the team must continue their winning start to the season when they welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Saturday. United have won all their three games of the season so far, against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the Premier League and against Club Bruges in the Champions Leage playoffs. England international Smalling said they must keep the momentum going. "We must continue our good start," the 25-year-old told the club's website (www.manutd.com). "It is another home game and we have to assert ourselves early on." United have kept clean sheets in both their Premier League encounters against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa this season and have conceded just one goal so far, in their 3-1 win against Club Bruges on Tuesday. Manager Louis Van Gaal has started with the same back four of Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Smalling and Matteo Darmian in all of United's games this season. Smalling said the results were down to stability at the back. "Last season, there were that many changes, it was hard to get a good run -- even though I still don't think we conceded that many goals in the second half of the season," Smalling said. "But that togetherness and that work ethic is showing on the pitch now because we are not letting that many chances in." (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru)