"Hes a good guy, but in the NHL you have to intimidate,"

Sunday will be the first time Diego Costa and Chris Smalling have clashed in club football - but the Manchester United defender had the upper hand when the pair met on the international stage. Striker Costa was suspended for the 0-0 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United at Old Trafford in December, and missed both fixtures between the clubs last season with hamstring injuries.However, he did come up against Smalling when Spain hosted England in a friendly last November. Spain eventually ran out 2-0 winners, but the game was goalless when Costa was substituted on 64 minutes. This will be Costas first-ever game against Manchester United. Hell hope it goes better than his previous encounter with Louis van Gaal - Costa and Spain were on the end of a 5-1 group stage defeat to the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup.However, Costa has rediscovered some good form and has flourished under interim boss Guus Hiddink with five goals in six Premier League appearances under the Dutchman. That is a marked improvement on his goal ratio under Jose Mourinho this season. Diego Costa under Mourinho and Hiddink in Premier League Under Mourinho Under Hiddink 14 Apps 6 3 Goals 5 394 Mins/goal 102 14.3% Shot conversion rate 29.4% 52% Shooting accuracy 47% 1.5 Attempts/game 2.8 55 Sprints/game 65 Overall, Costa is taking twice as long to hit the back of the net this season compared to last, scoring a goal every 211 minutes compared to a goal every 104 minutes. Diego Costa - 2014/15 v 2015/16 in Premier League Last season This season 20 Goals 8 104 Mins/goal 211 35% Shot conversion rate 21% 64% Shooting accuracy 50% 2.2 Attempts/game 1.9 Only one of Costas eight league goals this season have come against a side currently in the top eight - good news for fifth-placed Manchester United - against Arsenal two weeks ago. It was a similar story with his 20 league goals last season as only three came against last seasons top six. Chris Smalling has been Manchester Uniteds top defender this season Smalling, meanwhile, is Manchester Uniteds top appearance maker in all competitions this season, starting 35 of their 36 games. Hes played every minute of 23 of their 24 league fixtures, only missing Uniteds 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in December due to a groin injury. Rise of Smalling From non-league to Englands best defender, we chart the rise of Chris Smalling Smalling has made the most clearances (128) and made the most interceptions (62) for United in the Premier League this season. Englands top centre-backs Player Clearances/game Interceptions/game Tackles won/game Duels won/game Aerials won/game Smalling 5.6 2.7 1.4 5.6 3.3 Jones 2.4 1.3 0.7 3.2 2.0 Stones 3.5 1.9 1.3 4.8 1.4 Jagielka 7.8 2.4 0.7 4.8 2.7 Cahill 5.1 2.3 0.8 2.9 2.9 Terry 3.8 1.7 0.7 3.3 2.1 Smalling has been a major contributor to United having the second best defensive record in the Premier League this season, conceding just 21 goals in 24 games. The 26-year-old has been involved in 12 clean sheets in the league this season, more than any other player. Most clean sheets in Premier League this season Smalling - 12Bellerin - 11Cech - 11Hart - 11 Smalling has faced last seasons top-six sides six times in the Premier League this season and has contributed to clean sheets in four of these games, including the 0-0 against Chelsea at Old Trafford in December. Most clean sheets in Europes top five leagues Atletico Madrid - 14PSG - 14Angers - 13Inter - 13Bayern - 12Man Utd - 12 Costa will be looking to extend Hiddinks nine-match unbeaten run since re-joining Chelsea in December, but will have to be at his best to find a way past Smalling. Watch Chelsea v Man Utd live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday Also See: Man Utds stylish response Hiddink: Costa was provoked Jeff Green Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Cheap Wizards Jerseys China . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. http://www.cheapwizardsjerseys.com/ . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Red Wizards Jerseys . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Womens Wizards Jerseys . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds.Former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque may be headed into the political arena after a three-year absence from hockey, but it hasnt stopped him from voicing his opinion on matters around the league - namely that of his former club the Montreal Canadiens. Laraque - who confirmed Tuesday that he will vie for a seat in the House of Commons for the Green Party - criticized the Habs acquisition of tough guy George Parros to a Montreal newspaper, saying he wasnt intimidating enough in a competitive division. "I know him and hes a good guy - he will defend his teammates," Laraque told La Presse. "Im sure that when the Canadiens signed Parros, the Bruins and Shawn Thornton were relieved. In Ottawa and Toronto, they were relieved." Montreal acquired Parros from the Florida Panthers last week in exchange for forward Philippe Lefebvre and a seventh-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. The 33-year-old had nine fighting majors in 39 games last season while averaging just over six minutes of ice time. "Hes a good guy, but in the NHL you have to intimidate," Laraqque continued.dddddddddddd "He has a good technique, but hes more like a wrestler than a finisher...Florida wouldnt let Parros go if he was doing the job. "The Canadiens division is the most tough - Im sure theyre better with him," added Laraque. "But knowing the Montreal market, people will begin to wonder why they got this guy after two or three beatings." The Canadiens signed Laraque as a free agent in 2008, looking to add toughness to a squad that had been manhandled by Boston in the playoffs. But Laraque rarely dropped the gloves. In two seasons with the Canadiens, he had one goal and four assists in 61 games. The Canadiens announced would buy him out a year-and-a-half later when they banished him from the team, apparently because he had become a distraction. He stayed on the 23-man roster for the rest of the season but was not seen at games or practices. "Some will say Im jealous and frustrated, but Im not," he told La Presse. "I know the guy - I know them all. But those who dont believe me will see for themselves." ' ' '