Chris Smalling admits Manchester United's defeat to Chelsea was "disappointing" considering they prepared themselves tactically for the exact nature of Alvaro Morata's winning goal.
Jose Mourinho started a three-man central defence in Sunday's Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge, but Morata scored a stunning free header after 55 minutes to secure all three points for Antonio Conte's champions.
Smalling was one of the defenders who failed to pick up Morata, with the England international drawn away from marking the Spanish striker to cut off Tiemoue Bakayoko's run - a moment which allowed Cesar Azpilicueta to pick out his compatriot with a fine cross for the winner.
Azpilicueta has now assisted Morata five times in the League this season, and Smalling conceded that United should have been more alert to the danger considering the Chelsea duo's dangerous partnership this season.
"I think it was two teams there who can defend and who have got very good attacking players," he told MUTV.
"I think it was always going to be a close game and we just fell asleep on their one big chance, unfortunately.
"It was disappointing from us because we'd watched a lot of their videos and we knew about Azpilicueta coming up and putting in those crosses.
"So for us to know what their game plan was and to fall asleep is very disappointing."
United had late chances to level the game through Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini, and Smalling feels that his side deserved something from a tight game.
"I think we did put in so much," he added.
"I think our first half where we controlled large parts of that game and we put them on that back foot, and we just needed to take one of those chances in that first half when you've got that momentum and you can keep squeezing it on them.
"But we just couldn't take one of those chances.
Read More
"I thought those last 20 minutes we did put on some pressure and we were really on that front foot, and I thought a chance might come because I thought we deserved a goal."