chris smalling insists manchester united are capable of overtaking bitter rivals manchester city and finishing second in the league united put on their best display of the season on sunday as they swept aside tottenham in a near effortless 3 0 victory at old trafford the impressive performance raised hopes and expectation levels at the club and smalling thinks united are well equipped to sustain that kind of performance level for the rest of the season chris smalling, pictured tussling with tottenham's harry kane, believes manchester united can finish second  wayne rooney scores united's third goal in their comfortable 3 0 win against tottenham on sunday  united are two points behind city, who lost to burnley on saturday, and just one point adrift of third placed arsenal and smalling is convinced finishing second above city is not just a pipe dream 'yes, i think we could, especially after city's result on saturday,' the united defender said 'it is all very close 'i think it's very open all the way up to second place and we will be aiming for that, especially when we are playing those teams coming up 'we want champions league football back here it's a must fourth is the minimum but when it's there, second is a realistic target and if we keep on performing like that i don't see why we can't give it a good push' united face liverpool, aston villa, city and chelsea over the next four weeks and then host arsenal on the penultimate weekend many viewed the difficult run in as a reason why united could fail to qualify for the champions league, but smalling views the situation in exactly the opposite way marouane fellaini helped united cruise past champions league rivals spurs with an early goal at old trafford  the former everton man celebrates in front of a section of home supporters after finding the back of the net  'these games are six pointers,' the england centre back said 'we can do ourselves a favour and do our rivals big damage as well 'sunday was the first step it was the perfect time to put in a performance like that, especially with our run of fixtures 'confidence will be good, it's one of the biggest games of the season and hopefully we can play like that again' a video released by the sun on sunday, appearing to show wayne rooney being knocked out by stoke defender phil bardsley, dominated the build up to the match but rooney poked fun at the episode by shadow boxing during his celebration for his goal at old trafford rooney celebrates his goal against spurs by mocking a video of him being knocked out by phil bardsley  it was not the first time rooney has been at the centre of controversy during his career and it was interesting on monday that he picked out another player who had a rollercoaster career   paul gascoigne   as his favourite english footballer during a chevrolet google+ hangout 'i think he's probably still, to this day, the greatest english player for excitement and goals, he was my favourite player,' the united and england captain said asked what it was specifically about gascoigne that rooney liked, he said: 'his ability to turn games round on their head and produce magical moments he was a perfect entertainer on the pitch' chelsea  hull (away)   march 22  stoke (home)   april 4  qpr (away)   april 12  man united (home)   april 18  arsenal (away)   april 26  leicester (away)   april 29  crystal palace (home)   may 2  liverpool (home)   may 9  west brom (away)   may 16  sunderland (home)   may 24  manchester city  west brom (home)   march 21  crystal palace (away)   april 6  man united (away)   april 12  west ham (home) april 19  aston villa (home)   april 25  tottenham (away)   may 2  qpr (home)   may 9  swansea (away)   may 16  southampton (home)   may 24  arsenal  newcastle (away)   march 21  liverpool (home)   april 4  burnley (away)   april 11  sunderland (home) april 18 postponed  chelsea (home)   april 26  hull (away)   may 2  swansea (home)   may 9  man united (away)   may 16  west brom (home)   may 24  manchester united  liverpool (away)   march 22  aston villa (home)   april 4  man city (home)   april 12  chelsea (away)   april 18  everton (away)   april 26  west brom (home)   may 2  crystal palace (away)   may 9  arsenal (home)   may 16  hull (away)   may 24  liverpool  man united (home)   march 22  arsenal (away)   april 4  newcastle (home)   april 13  hull (away)   april 18  west brom (away)   april 25  qpr (home)   may 2  chelsea (away)   may 9  crystal palace (home)   may 16  stoke (away)   may 24  tottenham  leicester (home)   march 21  burnley (away)   april 5  aston villa (home)   april 11  newcastle (away)   april 19  southampton (away)   april 25  manchester city (home)   may 2  stoke (away)   may 9  hull (home)   may 16  everton (away)   may 24  southampton  burnley (home)   march 21  everton (away)   april 4  hull (home)   april 11  stoke (away)   april 18  tottenham (home)   april 25  sunderland (away)   may 2  leicester (away)   may 9  aston villa (home)   may 16  man city (away)   may 24  note: fixtures in may subject to change for television schedule for a full list of premier league fixtures and to check kick off times, results and league tables, visit our brilliant match zone by clicking here games marked 'postponed' will be rearranged due to fa cup 
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manchester united are just two points behind their local rivals . manchester city go to old trafford for the manchester derby on april 12 . chris smalling claims champions league football is 'a must' next season . the defender believes finishing fourth is a minimum target for united . click here for all the latest manchester united news 