SPOTLIGHT ON MOURINHO
United manager needs cure for winter blues following successive draws
LONDON League title race, as well as suffer an embarrassing League Cup exit against Championship side Bristol City.
Successive 2-2 draws in the league, against Leicester City and Burnley, have only deepened the United manager’s frustration. Mourinho accused his players of “childish” decisions as they conceded a late equaliser at Leicester last Saturday, and was every bit as angry with the defending against Burnley on Boxing Day.
The quality of United’s defending has become an increasing problem for Mourinho of late.
Having kept eight clean sheets in their opening 10 league matches, they have managed just two in the past 10.
Injuries to Eric Bailly and Phil Jones at various stages of the campaign have not helped in that respect, but with the Ivory Coast international set to be out for another couple of months as he recovers from ankle surgery, Mourinho has to find a solution at the back quickly.
Chris Smalling, another of United’s central defenders, missed the Burnley game with a groin injury picked up at Leicester, and the manager still seems reluctant to use Victor Lindelof LONDON: Liverpool’s successful pursuit of Virgil van Dijk will end the year on a high note for Jurgen Klopp’s club as they face Leicester in the Premier League today.
The £75 million fee (RM409 million) — a world record for a defender — which Liverpool agreed with Southampton for the Dutch international this week addresses some of their shortcomings at the back.
Even before Van Dijk’s capture, Liverpool were well on course for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification thanks to their fearsome forward line.
A 5-0 Boxing Day thrashing of a woeful Swansea side took Liverpool’s goal total to 12 in three games, and extended their unbeaten league run to 11 matches.
If only their defence had not fallen apart in a 3-3 draw at Arsenal four days earlier, Liverpool in that role in Premier League games.
Mourinho is still looking for his best combination in attack too.
Romelu Lukaku is struggling to rediscover his early-season form, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is only beginning to find his way back to match fitness after seven months out with cruciate knee ligament damage.
Anthony Martial missed the Burnley match with a knee injury, and will be assessed before a decision is taken on whether to include him in the squad to face Southampton. Paul Pogba, meanwhile, is set to continue as captain, having taken over the role from the injured Antonio Valencia.
Southampton have been sleepwalking their way into the relegation picture thanks to just one win in their last 11 games and might be in an even more comfortable position.
Their attack, though, is ruthless at present.
Roberto Firmino has scored four in Liverpool’s last three matches, Philippe Coutinho three and Mohamed Salah two. Coutinho’s sublime finish for the opening goal against Swansea gave Barcelona yet another reason to try to buy him next month.
Liverpool managed to fend off three bids during July and August, but it increasingly appears as if the best they can hope for now is to hang on to him until the end of this season.
For now, though, Klopp can make full use of those attacking options, and may well be tempted to rotate them as Liverpool face up to three games in seven days, with the Leicester match followed by a league trip to Burnley will kick off at Old Trafford on the back of a 5-2 Wembley defeat by Tottenham on Boxing Day.
Saints have just sold Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for £75 million (RM409 million), a world-record fee for a defender, and underpressure manager Mauricio Pellegrino is hopeful he will be given the funds to bring in at least three new players over January, including a direct replacement.
“At Southampton now it is impossible to bring in a player for £50 million,” he said.
“But maybe for us it can mean a couple of good players. Maybe we can change one player for two or three players with this money.
“We are talking about the couple of targets that we’ve got. I would like to bring in a couple of players minimum and we have to work for this.” Agencies on Monday and an FA Cup home tie against Everton the following Friday.
Klopp had to readjust his midfield against Swansea, with captain Jordan Henderson out until February because of a hamstring injury.
Liverpool’s manager does still not seem entirely sure who his first-choice defenders are, although Joel Matip was selected ahead of Dejan Lovren on Boxing Day, making his first appearance after four weeks out with a thigh injury.
Academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold, selected in place of Joe Gomez at right-back, responded by scoring at Anfield for the first time, and is hoping to keep his place for the busy run of fixtures ahead, especially with van Dijk due to join his club on New Year’s Day. AFP