Two reasons why Manchester United will not win the Premier League
Manchester United are preparing for their sixth season since they last clinched the Premier League title.
The Red Devils haven’t managed to secure the famous silverware since the more illustrious days of Sir Alex Ferguson. And as Jose Mourinho heads into his third campaign as manager, his usual petulance and negativity has poisoned any vibrancy and expectation among hopeful Manchester United supporters.
Their lack of transfer business, combined with Mourinho’s whining at United’s failure to sign a marquee player, as well as a problematic preseason for more reasons than one, has left many questioning whether Manchester United can really be considered title contenders.
The unpredictability of the Premier League is what makes it the best league in the world, however here are two reasons why the Red Devils’ stretch of frustration in the top flight will continue for another term.
1. Mourinho’s tactics are flawed
On paper, Manchester United’s lineup is one of the best in the division. The players’ capabilities, as we saw from many in the World Cup, know no bounds.
Paul Pogba was a completely different player, Romelu Lukaku was his typical bullying self and Marcos Rojo was propelled into the limelight when he scored Argentina’s last-gasp goal against Nigeria.
Top performances from Manchester United men in the summer is auspicious for the club heading into the new season, however we are yet to see Mourinho unlock their potential in a red shirt.
Pogba has been restricted in the heart of midfield, and his free-roaming dominance for France underlines where he is best suited on the pitch. Unfortunately Mourinho’s defence-minded tactics have been drummed into the talented Frenchman, at club level at least, and he has seldom been allowed to unfurl his impressive movement and quality.
Alexis Sanchez never seemed himself after the switch from Arsenal. Whether that is down to the often insurmountable weight of expectation following a big move, or Mourinho adapting him to a style of play that simply disregards flair and creativity, is up for debate.
And if these star players, who have proven themselves elsewhere, cannot perform under Mourinho, it surely indicates that the ‘Special One’ has lost his golden touch.
Finishing second behind arch-rivals Manchester City, by a colossal 19 points, is humiliation Manchester United must recover from. But Mourinho’s pragmatism and pessimism is unlikely to match the scintillating football City can produce.
Other rivals including Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ Liverpool, a swiftly developing Chelsea and a new-look Arsenal all, ostensibly, have more firepower in their armoury than a Mourinho-guided Manchester United.