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This is perhaps the most hyped Premier League season of all time. And why not? The transfer window has seen some of the biggest moves take place – and United were among the teams that got some good players themselves.
A lot of United fans might be upset at the title of this article but the truth is that despite the big-money moves, United’s side seems a little off and behind when measuring in terms Premier League conquering ability.
To further elaborate the claim made in the previous paragraph, here are 5 reasons as to why Manchester United won’t win the Premier League this season…
#5 Squad lacks balance
This might be a little controversial to claim, but a deeper look at the United squad reveals the crevices. While the addition of Victor Lindelof adds strength to the defence – and he will come good, be assured – their midfield and attack lacks the necessary power to shoot them to Premier League glory.
Most of the players in the midfield don’t provide them with much tactical variety. The addition of Nemanja Matic helps, but he simply doesn’t represent the kind of player that they needed. The lack of a true talisman from the wings is also a concern for the Red Devils, which is why they wanted Ivan Perisic.
While Henrikh Mkhitaryan can play in that role, he is better off in the centre. They just need one player to fix this problem and someone like Emil Forsberg or Ivan Perisic does the trick. Right now, however, it doesn’t look like any of these players will come with only 20 days left in the market, leaving United with somewhat of a lopsided squad.
#4 The under-usage of Mata
Something is missing. This is the thought that must have arose in the minds of the people that witnessed the European Super Cup clash between Manchester United and Real Madrid. The team looked very disjointed and only played well in spells against the champions of Spain.
The difference between the class in two teams was apparent. The only time United showed glimpses of continuity was with Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the centre of things. This brings me to the conclusion that Mourinho needs to add another creative player in the team to join the dots.
And they already have it in the form of Juan Mata. However, the Portuguese’s insistence on having a tight team even at the expense of creative freedom is something that leaves Juan Mata out in the cold. Despite the fact that the Spaniard has been used more frequently at United than at Chelsea by Mourinho, he is still not used as much as he should be.
And by the way, things look, this could lead to the downfall of the Red Devils.
#3 Lukaku is the main striker
I may get a lot of stick for this point, but it seems like a big gamble to have Romelu Lukaku as your main forward for an entire season. He may have been a consistent scorer in the Premier League with Everton, but this is the first time he plays as a regular for a top club.
The pressure of playing at the Old Trafford and with a different set of expectations is going to be a lot to take in. At Everton, he didn’t have to play with the expectation of leading his club to Premier League glory or take them far in the Champions League – but this is something he has to do at the Theatre of Dreams.
Against Real Madrid, he had a poor outing where he missed an open goal and often misplaced his first touches, which is actually a common trait with the Belgian.
#2 City have a better squad
Manchester City have strengthened really well and have a better squad than their eternal rivals. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur might not have the best of squads, but their starting XI is still better than Jose Mourinho’s preferred team.
While United are almost certain to finish above Spurs because of superior squad depth, toppling Manchester City would be a genuinely hard task – something for which they don’t seem equipped. Pep Guardiola has made some serious intent in the transfer market that has left City with a much superior squad than the rest of the teams in the division.
Jose Mourinho might have also spent a lot of money on signing Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic, but his squad doesn’t look as strong and balanced as Manchester City’s. Pre-season friendlies aren’t something that should be taken with much seriousness, but the way City outclassed Real Madrid could be seen as a sign of things to come.
#1 Mourinho doesn’t know his best XI
The new season is at an arm’s length now and it seems as though Jose Mourinho isn’t aware of his best XI yet. The preseason has come and gone, Manchester City, Tottenham and even Arsenal know which combination is their best, but Mourinho’s United look clueless on that front
As mentioned in the earlier segments, for long periods against Real Madrid, the Red Devils looked disjointed and far from what you would expect from a finished article of a side. While there is no denying that the Manchester club have some of the best players in their squad, Mourinho is yet to find a system where everyone clicks.
The self-proclaimed Special One tried a 3-man backline in the European Super Cup, but it didn’t look like a cohesive system, especially without Eric Bailly in defence. The season is knocking the door and getting a good start helps a team gain momentum early – something we can’t expect from this United side.
