- Not one of Arsenal's players would have got in the Chelsea team on Saturday
- I’ve been really impressed by the way James Maddison has adapted to top flight
- West Ham cannot keep making excuses after spending close to £100million
Two games in and already the alarm bells are ringing at Old Trafford. Watching ’s capitulation at Brighton, I saw no cohesion between and his players.
The only time United looked close to seriously threatening was when they hit the ball long to .
Contrast this with Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham who all have a distinct identity. Even Chelsea, whose manager took over a few weeks ago, have a clearer style of play than Mourinho’s side and he has been in charge for two years, according to Jamie Redknap.
United’s players no longer seem to be responding to their manager. Eight of this side appeared in the World Cup quarter-finals. Many of them will be thinking, ‘Why can’t we play Pep Guardiola’s brand of football?’
Mourinho may well point to his centre backs’ errors and that he could not buy a defender. Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof may have played like youth team players but they are defenders Mourinho spent £60million to bring in.
That is why the club have been reluctant to back their manager this summer. City and Liverpool go above and beyond whenever Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp want a player but why would United want to waste more money, especially if there could be a new manager next season?
This defeat could be written off as a blip were it not for Jose’s history of calamitous third seasons. Already, you get the feeling the players are growing tired of not only their manager’s negative football but his outbursts, too.
Tottenham next Monday is now one of the biggest games of his United career. Spurs have started strongly but are yet to score at Old Trafford under Mauricio Pochettino.
A morale-boosting win could be just what Mourinho needs to keep the wolf from the door.