Jose: New boot deal will give Lukaku a kick-start
JOSE Mourinho joked Romelu Lukaku is struggling to score for United because he does not have a boot deal.
The striker assisted Anthony Martial’s goal in the 4-2 win at Watford, but squandered a giltedged chance in the second half to make it 4-0.
Lukaku’s frivolous finishing almost cost the Reds and goals from Troy Deeney and Abdoulaye Doucoure made for a nervy five minutes for United until Jesse Lingard brilliantly put the game beyond The Hornets.
Belgium international Lukaku has now scored just one goal in his last 11 United games but is set to continue up front at Arsenal on Saturday, where he could sport a new boot sponsor.
“I think he needs a contract with boots because he doesn’t have a contract with any brand,” Mourinho joked.
“That’s why he is playing with the black boots, he needs to be paid the right money so he goes back to goals. But jokes apart, he works amazingly well for the team.
“I would never blame him for the easy chance he missed with me, he doesn’t have that pressure, amazing player, amazing professional, I couldn’t be happier with him.
“He finished the deal and now he’s waiting for the right offer!”
Mourinho revealed after the game he was delighted with United’s ruthless performance with the exception of their fiveminute wobble. IT was during one disarmingly honest interview last year that Raheem Sterling offered an explanation to the personal criticism he receives. He said: “I’ve got that face. The ‘I don’t like face.’”
There have been times during his United career when Jesse Lingard may have been tempted to think likewise.
An extremely talented young footballer, living out his boyhood dream to play for club and country, he has repeatedly found himself the whipping boy of Jose Mourinho’s developing team.
When he signed a new contract in April – believed to be worth in the region of £100,000-a-week – he was unwittingly made the poster boy of everything that was wrong with Premier League spending.
It prompted Tony Cascarino to devote an entire column to it – asking ‘what has Lingard shown over a season or two? OK, an eye for an important goal or two in a cup final, but after that just a few starts and a couple of decent dance moves.’
For the record, Lingard scored the winner in an FA Cup final – the first major trophy won by United post Sir Alex Ferguson. He scored again as they won their second the following season, the League Cup triumph over Southampton just weeks before being handed his new deal.
United’s hierarchy and coaches, Mourinho included, would consider £100,000-a-week a relative snip for a current England international and first-team player.
How much would it cost to replace him in terms of fee and salary? Still, his handshakes, goal celebrations and social media profile seem to rub people up the wrong way. To the extent that his quality on the pitch is overlooked.
His wonderful solo goal against Watford on Tuesday night might just start to change opinions.
It capped what had been an impressive performance before that – following on from his encouraging display against Basel in the Champions League a week earlier.
Lingard has pace, composure on the ball and intelligent movement. He has performed as well as anyone on the right for United this season as Mourinho has chopped and changed in a bid to find the solution to a problem position. And given Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s struggles, Lingard has deserved his chance in recent weeks – as acknowledged by Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand, who watched him develop at Old Trafford. Scholes even believes he could be the answer at No10 as Mourinho weighs up a move for Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil. He told BT Sport: “This lad’s got real talent. He gets in great positions, we just need to see it more often now. “He hasn’t really established himself in the first team. That’s his aim now. “He’s got great ability – he can score a goal, make a goal with either foot. All the attributes you want for a No.10 or midfield player.” Notably, Scholes suggests Lingard’s team-mates need to show their faith in the 24-year-old. “Maybe they don’t trust him enough,” he added. “Maybe he’s not James Robson