Lindelof’s finding it three and easy with change of formation

A YEAR on from crowbarring Wayne Rooney into his side at Vicarage Road, Jose Mourinho has finally got a system that works. Two of them in fact.

The 54-year-old has dabbled with a range of formations since taking charge at United, using his favoured 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 systems as well as flirting with 4-4-2 – and even six at the back.

Mourinho’s use of three at the back in pre-season seemed a very deliberate tactic, a Plan B to fall back on to give his side that extra security blanket, but it has also formed the basis of some of United’s best attacking performances in Moscow and Watford.

Whether it is a 3-4-3, a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-5-2, Anthony Martial has licence to float, Ashley Young can set up camp in a more advanced position and Jesse Lingard has revelled in a shuttler role just off the strikers.

But it has been Victor Lindelof, who made his name in a four-man backline at Benfica, who has perhaps benefited most from playing in a more secure formation of late.

After reminding the world of his talents, keeping Ciro Immobile and Manolo Gabbadiani at arm’s length in Sweden’s shock World Cup play-off win, Lindelof has looked reborn as a rightsided centre-back in a three-man backline.

Not even a predictable setback, a slip that could have happened to anyone, deterred him against Newcastle and he is benefiting from a manager who truly believes in him.

Mourinho spent the best part of a year keeping tabs on Lindelof and had enough contacts in Portugal to know the 23-year-old was the real deal despite a lack of competition for his signature.

A more straightforward decision would have been to bring a seemingly proven Premier League defender like Michael Keane back, but Mourinho stood by his longterm target in a marked departure from his usual tendency to sign uncompromising stoppers.

Lindelof, he felt, would give United a new dimension from the back when he was up and running and set the tone for United’s transitions and their ability to win the ball back and break at pace.

Mourinho has always talked with a calm air about his first signing of the summer, constantly referring to that ‘step by step’ process which is now paying dividends.

It is still early days, but we are beginning to see what all the fuss was about.