Manchester: Will he drop Ibrahimovic and put Rashford up front?
Jose Mourinho insisted last week that he would not be afraid to drop Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the time has now arrived for the Manchester United manager to show he has the strength of mind to do just that. Ibrahimovic has scored only one goal in his past eight matches and missed chances have cost the team dearly in the past three Premier League games. He needs to stop being indulged and Marcus Rashford should be given an extended run at centre-forward in the hope that his pace and energy can bring a fresh dimension to United’s wooden attack. Rashford’s heat map against Chelsea shows he seldom made it into the opposition penalty area, where he is at his most dangerous. Had Ibrahimovic scored with a close-range header from Antonio Valencia’s pinpoint cross when United were trailing 1-0 on Sunday, the game could have taken a different turn.
When will he sort out the wide areas?
Three of the four players who made the most sprints at Stamford Bridge wore Chelsea colours and the identity of that trio, Eden Hazard, Pedro and Victor Moses, says a lot about where the threat was in Antonio Conte’s side. By contrast, Jesse Lingard was a strange choice on the left flank for United and Rashford’s talents are wasted on the wing. Right-back Valencia made more sprints than either of them. United need more pace and intensity out wide, with the dynamic Anthony Martial a victim of constant rotation and the exile of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has been fit for at least a fortnight, an enduring mystery at a time when United are crying out for the Armenia captain’s speed and creativity on the right.
What has he got against Carrick and Schneiderlin?
Morgan Schneiderlin was again omitted from United’s 18-man squad on Sunday and there are suggestions that Mourinho has doubts over the France midfielder’s mental fortitude. But, at a time when the side’s midfield set-up is not working, will he ever properly know whether he is right unless he gives the player an opportunity? More baffling still is the situation concerning Michael Carrick, especially given the faith shown in the plodding, cumbersome Marouane Fellaini. Carrick has yet to make a league start this season, playing a total of just 192 minutes, even though he still looks like the most natural foil for Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera and was excellent in the 4-1 Europa League win over Fenerbahce last Thursday. Pogba, for one, was far more comfortable with Carrick behind him.
When will Pogba find his role in the team?
Despite being deployed in the No.10 role against Chelsea, Pogba failed to create a single chance, had no shots on target and just one touch in the opposition penalty area. Study his touch map and he mostly seemed to be operating in ineffectual areas, even if his pass completion statistics were his best in the league this season. Pogba is a different player to Frank Lampard, and if Mourinho wants him to be a version of what the midfielder was for him at Chelsea, popping up in dangerous positions in and around the box, he needs a rethink.
Why are his sides now becoming soft touches?
Mourinho has lost 13 of his past 27 Premier League games dating back to his time at Chelsea. His previous 13 defeats came over 135 league games. Mourinho is struggling to create the defensive framework for which he was renowned, despite United often still looking as leaden in attack as they did under Louis van Gaal. Mourinho used to take pride in his teams being aggressive without the ball, reducing the space for opponents, being compact and organised and communicating well, but none of that was in evidence on Sunday.
