Jose worried he’s being left behind already
BAYERN MUNICH 1 Martinez
59 MAN UTD 0
NO wonder Jose Mourinho is worried about the start of the new season. Four days to go until it kicks off at Old Trafford and he is still waiting for the real Manchester United to turn up.
This has been a strange, disjointed few weeks for Mourinho and his players and it showed as they completed their pre-season on a muggy night in Munich.
On this evidence, whatever team United put out on Friday night will struggle to overcome Leicester, never mind challenge Manchester city’s dominance of the Premier League.
After city gave another demonstration of what they can do at Wembley, United looked every bit a team that is coming together in dribs and drabs.
Marcus Rashford returned for more than an hour here, officially inheriting the No 10 shirt vacated by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Phil Jones and victor Lindelof also played for the first time since the World cup.
But there was still no Paul Pogba, no Romelu Lukaku, no Jesse Lingard, no Ashley Young and no Marouane Fellaini. Nemanja Matic and Antonio valencia are injured.
Anthony Martial and Marcos Rojo were left at home when United flew to Germany, casting further doubt over their futures at Old Trafford, and Eric Bailly limped off early in the second half.
A new centre half remains the priority and Mourinho is banking on United chief Ed Woodward delivering one.
United were reported to have stepped up their interest in Harry Maguire with a £75million bid last night as Leicester continue to resist.
It is understood that Jerome Boateng — a half-time substitute for Bayern here — is emerging as another strong possibility even though he would cost £50m and turns 30 next month.
Asked about Boateng, Mourinho said: ‘My cEO knows what I want for quite a long time, I know he tries to do the best for me and I still have a few days to wait to see what happens.’
Otherwise, the United boss is preparing to make the most of the players he has available against Leicester.
‘We were unlucky to get the Friday game so Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday is not enough,’ he added.
‘We have to organise the week in a way that we can arrive fresh for Friday because Friday starts the Premier League and we play for points and Friday is the players we have.
‘There is no time to cry for the players that are not going to be. On Friday we go with the best possible team.’
United look anything but the finished article — even though pre-season wins in the US over Real Madrid and Ac Milan, on penalties, might suggest otherwise.
And it’s hard to see how they can click into gear in four days after such a fragmented preparation.
They were under the cosh throughout the game here in Munich and Spain goalkeeper David de Gea made first-half saves from Thiago Alcantara and Serge Gnabry.
However, he was beaten in the 59th minute when Javi Martinez rose to score with a glancing header from Thiago’s corner, a timely reminder, perhaps, of United’s need for an upgrade in central defence.
Manuel Neuer did not have a single save to make and Mourinho ended the game by sending on the kids and third- choice keeper Lee Grant.