Lindelof and De Gea give United reasons to smile
the Premier League. If you remember, he had good matches last season in the Champions League, in Lisbon, in Moscow. It looked like he was more ready for continental football. But he’s a young guy and has conditions to improve. I believe in Victor.’
The big unknown is whether Mourinho will try to develop Bailly-Lindelof as a regular pairing, like Rio Ferdinand and Vidic, or if he’ll rotate centrehalves this year.
M our in ho’ s fringe players let him down at Brighton last season in a 1-0 defeat. He can ill-afford a repeat this afternoon given that City are expected to retain their 100 per cent record against Huddersfield.
Romelu Lukaku could replace Marcus Rashford up front having made a cameo appearance against Leicester. Paul Pogba will retain the arm band with Antonio Valencia not yet match-fit, Mourinho stating he is “happier than ever” with the Frenchman despite the feeling not always appearing mutual.
De Gea’s expected new deal is a boost. In an era where keepers are becoming more valued – Chelsea and Liverpool spent £140million on keepers this summer – Mourinho is happy he doesn’t have to look.
‘I always think my goalkeeper is the best in the world but I don’t want to appear disrespectful to Manuel Neuer or Thibaut Courtois. A better way of putting it is I wouldn’t swap David for anybody,’ said Mourinho. ‘ A goalkeeper gives points, titles and is as important as another player. Sometimes people forget that.’
De Gea, left, suffered rare criticism at the World Cup when he let a Cristiano Ronaldo shot slip through his grasp. Mourinho thinks it was overblown.
‘David played four matches and made one mistake. And with that mistake, his team didn’t lose.
‘All the other guys were protected because they play for Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona. But the poor guy who plays in Manchester United was the one that was destroyed.
‘David knew perfectly he was not responsible for Spain being knocked out. He came back normal and in the States [on preseason tour] he started working absolutely normal and here he is.’