Jose Mourinho has said a successful team is driven by an inner rage to compete. However, that rage must be guided in the proper direction in order to fuel success and it’s not happening at the moment for Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho walks out of press conference demanding respect
After the heavy defeat to Tottenham, a team which had won just two of their 26 league visits to the Old Trafford since 1992 and lost more league games at the stadium (21) than any club at any away venue in Premier League history, Jose Mourinho had one of his infamous “Special One” press conferences during which he pointed out he had won more titles (3) than 19 other PL managers combined.
The frustrations are boiling over for the Portuguese manager, who is in his third year at Manchester United. Considering he has never stayed at a single club for more than three and a half years, it is not surprising problems are surrounding the club.
Tensions are palpable in Manchester United
It all started in the summer when CEO Ed Woodward refused to succumb to Mourinho’s transfer market demands, creating a palpable tension between the two. The central defender Mourinho wanted was never signed and he is now doing everything in his power to show why he needed one in the first place. Bailly and Lindelof were awful as a pairing in Brighton, prompting a change against Tottenham, only not one that anyone anticipated. Ander Herrera was introduced as a right centre back and even though he tried his best to fulfil the manager’s tasks, the Spanish midfielder lost Eriksen and pinned the blame upon himself for Tottenham’s second goal.
Anthony Martial’s premature departure from the American tour and Paul Pogba’s ongoing conflict with his manager only deteriorate the entire situation, fueling a fire in all the wrong places. The 3-0 loss to Tottenham leaves Manchester United in 13th place with three points from the first three matches, far below where they should be if they want to have any chance of contending with Manchester City, Liverpool and the remaining top English clubs.
Romelu Lukaku miss key to Tottenham defeat
All of this could’ve easily been avoided had Romelu Lukaku been able to find the empty net in the first half. Generally speaking, Manchester United vastly improved in comparison to their Brighton display. Mourinho made six changes and some tactical tweaks which worked for most of the contest, but the team was undone by three dreadful minutes.
Next up for The Red Devils is a visit to winless Burnley. With the vultures circling, it’ll be interesting to see how long will the Portuguese survive. History suggests it might not be too long, especially if Zidane is a realistic option to replace him.
