Taking risk on Sanchez could silence critics

THE atmosphere at United is still quite strange.

Despite the dramatic fashion of victory against Newcastle over the weekend, it remains to be seen if Jose Mourinho can inspire his side to turn their season on its head.

Much talk on social media continues to be about the ongoing turmoil, as fans and pundits alike try to identify the cause of the toxic activity seeping into club matters.

The cold reality is that winning matches is the only real way to keep all parties satisfied in the shortterm. To do so Mourinho needs to play on the front foot, but he also needs to see big performances from his illustrious attacking talent.

It might even be time to bite the bullet, and take a risk which could define his Old Trafford legacy.

As Alexis Sanchez peeled away in front of the Stretford End on Saturday, his raw celebration sparked echoes of Bruce, Macheda and Owen. Vital goals which spurred United towards the top of the table.

Instead, this was a goal which could keep Mourinho in a job.

While the three points represented a lifeline to the Portuguese coach, it also sparked a sense of redemption for Sanchez. No matter the circumstance, it was for these moments the Chilean came to Old Trafford. However, this needs to be the springboard for greater success at United.

With matches against Chelsea and Juventus both waiting after the international break, now is the perfect time for the 29-yearold to silence his critics and become the attacking focal point worthy of a piano-playing entrance.

To accomplish his Old Trafford transformation Sanchez not only needs to up his game, but he needs to be given public-backing by Mourinho.

Utilising the former Arsenal man as a central striker could be key.

One issue with Sanchez being played on the left is that his game becomes too predictable, instead a move to the middle could give him the opportunity to rediscover his swagger and pester defences with his sharp pressing play.

Another issue comes at full-back. Only when Luke Shaw is overlapping him does space appear for Sanchez to cut inside and cause a threat at goal, the positional change would give him more freedom to operate. The proposed positional switch could also provide valuable rest to Romelu Lukaku, a player who looks in need of support. It’s no criticism of the Belgian forward, but the pressure on him to solely provide goals from a central area is simply not sustainable. A move to a central area would also free up the left-wing to allow Anthony Martial to get consistent games under his belt, with Sanchez capable of supplementing the role when required. Lastly, the positional change could allow United to adopt a new false nine role up front, which would justify the deeper defensive tactics we have seen under Mourinho at times. This change of tactics could also benefit United in their upcoming crunch fixtures if they don’t expect to dictate possession.

One issue with Sanchez being played on the left is that his game becomes too predictable Richard Fay