Manchester United defender Chris Smalling says he wants to repay Louis van Gaal for giving him consistent playing time throughout the season. Smalling has made more than 50 appearances for Van Gaals side this season and has been the club captain when Wayne Rooney and Daley Blind have not been available.The centre-back was awarded the Manchester United players player of the season award on Monday night. And Smalling said hes hoping to keep putting in consistent performances to pay back the faith shown in him by Van Gaal. Chris Smalling is Manchester Uniteds players player of the season Its just about repaying him really, he exclusively told Sky Sports.He puts a lot of responsibility on the players and he gives us our tactical knowledge along with the other coaches, but its that trust to know youre going to be playing and hes going to put that faith in you. Smalling has filled in as Manchester United captain this season Smalling also feels that Van Gaal has done well to deflect pressure away from the players throughout the season.He puts himself forward and takes some of the pressure off us, he explained.Theres pressure on us as well, but hes very good at deflecting it because he knows we need to perform on game day. Chris Smalling hopes to re-pay the faith shown in him by Van Gaal On the subject of pressure, Smalling says hes happy to take on the weight of expectation that comes with being Manchester United captain when given the opportunity.I thrive on it and I like it, he said. Pick your team Aguero? Ozil? De Bruyne? Pick your Fantasy Six-a-Side team for the chance to win £10,000 Even when youve not got the captains armband, theres that many eyes on you, at Manchester United you have to perform.When you have that [responsibility] as well, its also the players that look to you in [tough] moments. It makes you back yourself and make sure you put in a great performance because youve got added responsibility of the armband. Also See: LVG: Huth ban proves point Van Gaal: Im one of the best De Gea sets Utd award record When does 2016/17 season start? Air Max 270 White Volt . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. Air Max 270 React 2021 . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. http://www.cheapairmax270react.com/air-max-270-2021-fake/air-max-270-black-and-gold.html . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Air Max 270 Womens . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Air Max 270 React Online . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. MINNEAPOLIS -- James Paxton was cruising along for the Seattle Mariners, as hes done often this season. Then Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and the middle of the Seattle Mariners batting order order broke out.Cano had four hits and two RBI, Cruz added a two-run homer among his four RBI and the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 10-1 on Friday night to stay on pace in the AL wild-card race.Nice to see the middle of our lineup come together, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We havent had a game like that in a while. ... Those guys are huge in the middle. Theyve carried us all year. Nice to see them get going again.Seattle trailed Detroit by two games for the second wild card but passed Houston.Paxton (5-7) struck out nine and allowed one run on five hits. Seattle, which scored six runs in the seventh inning, entered Friday averaging just 2.88 runs per game while Paxton was on the mound.Feels good, Paxton said of pitching well while in the playoff race. This is what we need. We need to win right now. Guys are playing hard and were doing our best to stay right there, and try to climb up in the wild-card standings.Kyle Gibson (6-10) gave up two runs, five hits and four walks for Minnesota, which lost its seventh straight and fell to 99 losses, its most since 2011.Its tough to be too satisfied with a game where you only went five innings, threw a hundred pitches and your team loses 10-1, Gibson said. I think theres some positives but its hard to focus on those at that time.With a biting curveball at his disposal, Paxton allowed just three hits, two on infield singles, before waiting through the long top of the seventh. The only blemish on his night was Miguel Sano leading off the seventh with a triple off the wall in right field and scoring on Kennys Vargas single.He was in total control, Servais said. It was great to see. Fun watching him go like that because he gets on those rolls and the release points very consistent.Seattle supplied Paxton with the most run support hes received in a start this season.Cano and Mike Zunino had RBI bloop singles in the third and fourth before a big inning against three relievers.ddddddddddddCano drove in a run with an infield single. Cruz followed with a two-run double, Kyle Seager had an RBI double and Zuninos single led to two runs when left fielder Robbie Grossman committed two errors. Grossman let the ball bounce off his glove and then kicked the ball as he went to retrieve it.Byron Buxton made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Cruz of at least extra bases in the third, but Cruz hit his 38th homer in the eighth, a drive off the stone facing above the batters eye in center field. MLBs Statcast said the ball would have traveled 454 feet had it landed unimpeded.Seattle had scored two runs or fewer in six of its previous seven games.The start was delayed by 35 minutes due to rain, marking the 14th delay or postponement in Minnesota this season.HOLLANDERSeattle announced Friday that Justin Hollander has been hired as the teams director of baseball operations.Hollander, 37, was the Los Angeles Angels director of player personnel. He was hired by Los Angeles in 2008, serving multiple roles, where he worked under Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto.Hollander steps into the role left behind by Caleb Peiffer, who left the team to attend law school.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: RF Max Kepler was out of the lineup but was cleared to play after leaving Thursdays doubleheader with a mild neck strain from hitting the wall awkwardly. . 1B Joe Mauer was out of the lineup for the third straight game as he deals with sore quadriceps. He hasnt started since Sept. 17.UP NEXTSeattle LHP Ariel Miranda (5-1, 3.88 ERA) hopes to keep his surprising run going on Saturday. Minnesota will send RHP Tyler Duffey (8-11, 6.39) to the mound. Miranda has gone 4-0 with a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts with 20 strikeouts in 25 innings. Duffey has allowed at least five earned runs in three of his last four outings. ' ' '