Manchester United Injury List Offers Chris Smalling Another Chance to Impress

There was a time when mistakes at Manchester United were heavily punished.

A player would make an error that cost a goal or the game and then wouldn't be seen again for weeks. 

Jonny Evans had a nightmare against West Ham in the League Cup in November 2010 and didn't start another game for nearly two months. That was normal under Sir Alex Ferguson: Poor performances meant you lost your place.

Chris Smalling's recklessness in the Manchester derby is the type of behaviour Ferguson would have tried to stamp out with a spell on the sidelines. Smalling would have had to regain his manager's trust before he got anywhere near the team again.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Louis van Gaal, though, doesn't have that luxury. With doubts over 12 first-team players ahead of the trip to Arsenal on Saturday, the Dutchman can't afford to leave out experienced defenders just to prove a point.

There will be fans who believe Smalling shouldn't be granted an immediate return to the team after his red card at the Etihad Stadium. Indeed, it was the height of stupidity to pick up two needless bookings that cost his team the chance to win one of the biggest games of the season.

But with injuries to Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Evans, Van Gaal doesn't have many other options, so Smalling's rehabilitation will begin at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

There is still an opportunity for the 24-year-old to become a first-team regular. Van Gaal has used 10 players at centre-back in the Premier League this season but is still searching for a partnership to take over from Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Smalling has had good games this season, most notably in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea. But he's had disasters too, particularly against Manchester City and Leicester. It will take a run of consistent performances to convince Van Gaal he doesn't need a new central defender next summer.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Had Smalling been shown a red card in the derby two or three years ago, he might have expected an enforced lay-off like Evans received after his personal disaster at Upton Park. But with the departures of senior players and a lengthy injury list, competition for places isn't quite so fierce.

It will give Smalling the chance to return to the team against Arsenal on Saturday having served his one-game ban for a red card Van Gaal himself described to reporters as "stupid." 

It's another opportunity to prove he's worthy of a regular place in the team. Evans might feel he's gotten off lightly.