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 Kirk Cousins Youth Jersey . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Chris Doleman Vikings Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. http://www.authenticvikingspro.com/Dru-samia-vikings-jersey/ .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Randy Moss Vikings Jersey . 9. Price, heading to the 2014 Olympics for Canada, was named the First Star after posting wins in three starts with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage. Cris Carter Womens Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. After high school football star Kyler Williams died last month in a car crash, Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema retweeted a photo Williams had posted on Twitter three weeks earlier following a tour of Arkansas campus.The photo showed Williams, a receiver from nearby Springdale High, and Bielema at Razorback Stadium. To his retweet, the coach added this message: Prayers and thoughts to Kyler Williams & his family. Couldnt help but stop & get my picture made with this big smile!Then he started worrying about what hed done.I was just going to tweet out to him and his family, and I thought, `Did I just violate an NCAA rule? Bielema said, choking up. It just made me sick. As a human being, you want to say, `Hey.Though Bielema didnt violate any rule, the incident demonstrates how college football coaches appreciate that Twitter allows them to show their personality to fans and recruits alike, while also remaining wary of its potential drawbacks. The issue has crept up recently as coaches struggle to understand a new NCAA rule change that has some of them using their Twitter accounts more than ever.Under the rule change that took effect in August , athletic department staff members are allowed to retweet or show their approval of social media posts made by recruits. The policy change has been nicknamed Click, Dont Type because coaches still arent allowed to add any sort of comment to a recruits post.NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham said that generally speaking, a coach cannot tweet or post a photo of himself with a recruit unless the recruit has signed a formal offer of admission or financial aid, or the post would be considered publicity before signing. But, she added, it isnt a violation to do so as a way of paying tribute to a deceased recruit.The purpose of the rules limiting publicity before signing is to prevent a coach from engaging a fan base or boosters to place additional pressure on the prospect to sign at a given school, Durham said.Plenty of coaches use Twitter, whether theyre capitalizing on the new rule or communicating indirectly with fellow coaches.Michigans Jim Harbaugh called out Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Tennessee coach Butch Jones on Twitter during the offseason for their comments about his decisions to hold spring practice sessions in Florida and to conduct satellite camps.But tweeting also comes with risks that arent limited to concern about NCAA violations.On the day after Notre Dame lost to Michigan State last month, Fighting Irish coach Brian Kellys Twitter account liked a fans post that recommended the firing of defeensive coordinator Brian VanGorder.dddddddddddd Kelly said later that it was a mistake made by one of the people who help manage his account, though VanGorder actually was fired the following week.I have a number of people that manage my Twitter account, Kelly said at the time. Obviously going through it, somebody unfortunately made a mistake as they were scrolling through, inadvertently hit it.Duke coach David Cutcliffe says he doesnt give anyone else access to his Twitter account for that very reason.North Carolinas Larry Fedora says other people have access to his Twitter account, but all the tweets posted there are his and his alone. He says he makes sure to close out of Twitter whenever he leaves behind his computer or phone.Anytime you open your account and you leave it open for other staff members, you run the risk of something happening, Fedora said. (It may be) something negative (or) something good, but something could happen.It isnt uncommon for multiple people to help out with a coachs Twitter account.Nebraskas Mike Riley says Cornhuskers director of player personnel Ryan Gunderson tweets on his behalf. Gunderson played quarterback for Riley at Oregon State from 2003-07.We talk about the messages and then `Gundy actually does the work, Riley said. Thats our process here. I need a little bit younger guy to help me out with that.Bielema says Arkansas sports information director Patrick Pierson has access to his Twitter account. Jones says a staff member assists in monitoring his account, though all tweets must be approved by the Tennessee coach.Riley said he and Gunderson try to be really careful as to how we represent ourselves all the time, personally and program-wise and university-wise. Jones said he makes sure to proofread before putting anything on his account.We always think in terms of double-checking, triple-checking before you push a button, Jones said.As far as the rule change allowing coaches to like or retweet prospects posts, some coaches are capitalizing on the new policy more than others.If a guy bases his decision on if you like or retweet his posts, that aint the dude that is going to fit in our program, Arizonas Rich Rodriguez said. If thats his most important decision-making process ... I mean, you want to give him attention, but, I mean, what are we, schoolgirls chasing Justin Bieber? Give me a break.---AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard, Joedy McCreary, John Marshall, Eric Olson and Kurt Voigt contributed to this report. ' ' '