5 Positives for Manchester United from the weekend

#2 Mourinho did not park the bus

Chelsea FC v Manchester United - Premier League

One of the most amusing aspects of Jose Mourinho’s management has been his inclination to set his team deep against top opposition and deny them space in the final third. This has been termed as “Parking the bus” in recent times, a phase that has gained massive popularity and has been an integral part of Mourinho’s tactics.

So when United visited Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, it was expected that Mourinho would set his team up to earn a vital away point. There were two reasons for this. First, Mourinho had his personal battle and would loathe losing against his former team. Second, United were in danger of being brushed away by the firepower of Chelsea. However, when the teams were announced, it was a surprise.

For starters, Mourinho had not opted for a three-man defence, like he did against Tottenham. Next, he had opted for Mata in the midfield, preferring Spanish artistry to Belgian bellow, a most “un-Mourinho-ish” behaviour. In the attack, he had preferred Anthony Martial, a Frenchman who is reluctant to defend, to the bullish Sanchez.

Mourinho had set his team up in an entirely different way than expected and it was a refreshing change. But the Portuguese did not stop at that, he rallied his troops to come back from a goal down, encouraged them to attack and almost snatched away a memorable win. Mourinho rattled Stamford Bridge with his change in tactics and his desire to play attacking football, and it has to been one of the highlights of the weekend.