Chris Smalling believes he is starting to "bully" strikers as he tries to turn himself into Manchester United's dominant defender.
The England international has helped Louis van Gaal's team keep clean sheets in their opening three Premier League games this season.
And as Smalling has been paired with Daley Blind, a much shorter player, at centre-back, the onus is on him to win many of the physical duels.
"I have always liked that competition with the striker and obviously Daley is not that sort of centre-back who is going to dominate so it's a case of I take that mantle on and I am enjoying it," Smalling said.
"I feel like I bullied quite a few players in matches. It's a case of making sure that there is that consistency and hopefully I can get that consistency where it can be on show every week."
United were held to a goalless draw at Old Trafford on Saturday by Newcastle and Smalling believes they need to be more ruthless.
"I think quite a few teams will rock up like Newcastle and put a lot of men behind the ball," he said. "I think if most teams come out like they did we will win easily 3-0 or 4-0.
"In those first 20-25 mins, we really blew Newcastle away and we didn't reward ourselves so we got punished for that really and even late on they could have nicked one as well even though we were totally dominant for the most of the game.
"When everyone went in [at the final whistle] it was like a loss because it was definitely two points dropped and we have played a lot better than our previous games but have picked up maximum points then. We haven't done that and that is a disappointing thing."