UNITED SPECIAL ‘Moyes target was already at United’
PHIL Neville has said David Moyes scouted Borussia Dortmund players Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and Shinji Kagawa – even though he was already at United.
Kagawa joined the Reds from Dortmund for £12m in 2012 and won a Premier League winner’s medal before Moyes succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson the following year.
Moyes took his Everton coaching staff members Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden to Old Trafford, while Neville retired from professional football and returned to United in a coaching capacity, having left the club in 2005.
Kagawa played 30 times with Neville sat in the dugout during the 2013-14 season, yet the former United full-back has confusingly suggested the Japanese was scouted by Moyes.
“I was at Manchester United at the time when we were scouting players at Borussia Dortmund like Kagawa, like Reus,” Neville said on Five Live. “Lewandowski was there and there was always that doubt.”
Neville was talking about Tottenham striker Harry Kane and compared his situation with Lewandowski, who left Dortmund for Bayern Munich on a free transfer in 2014.
Kane has scored six goals in four games for club and country this month but Neville has suggested he might have to leave Tottenham.
“He could have to leave Spurs to become that real top, top, world-class, Lewandowski type player,” he added. “If Spurs maintain just being a good top four side that will not be good enough for somebody like Harry Kane.” THE only positive aspect about Paul Pogba’s lay-off is another international week is nearly upon us. The timing of the October games might be welcomed this year after Pogba was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches on Tuesday night, but he could still miss up to eight United fixtures.
Four are at home and four are away. Liverpool at Anfield on October 14 is the standout match Pogba could be absent for and United might also be deprived of him for the trip to Benfica four days later. The most testing home game could be against Everton on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho was derided for describing Marouane Fellaini as Pogba’s ‘natural replacement’ last season, but the Belgian is set to fill the Frenchman’s void against his former club.
A goal, an assist and a man of the match award against Basel more than compensated for Pogba’s 19th-minute withdrawal.
Fellaini proved himself as an impact substitute almost three years ago at West Brom and he has not disappointed off the bench yet this term. He was missed so much at Stoke, Mourinho singled him out at his post-match press conference.
Fellaini might require additional assistance against Everton on Sunday. “The next match you can have another surprise of some player you think is going to play and is not going to play,” Mourinho teased in the Old Trafford press conference room.
Everton have, depending on your interpretation, started with four different formations in their four league games this season. Ronald Koeman abandoned the back-three experiment against Tottenham and they shipped as many goals as they had conceded in their previous three fixtures. It might return at another top six side.
Michael Keane, Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams could be shielded by Morgan Schneiderlin and Idrissa Gueye, as well as maybe Tom Davies.
Everton have already played at City and Chelsea this season and are winless since the opening weekend, so their visit to M16 has the makings of one of those pragmatic performances David Moyes often favoured at the old ‘big four.’
Everton’s win over Moyes in December 2013 remains their only league victory at United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool this century.
Ander Herrera’s importance was bound to increase this month and his squad omission in midweek should not diminish it. United appear to be more comfortable in 4-2-3-1 this season than they were in Mourinho’s first campaign, when it was still viewed as a hangover from Louis van Gaal’s reign and inhibited Pogba.
Everton are likely to rely on the counter-attack and it is arguable Mourinho should resist match-