Man Utd’s loss at City highlights club MUST change disastrous transfer policy – which will end up costing Jose Mourinho his job
MANCHESTER UNITED’S chaotic approach in the transfer market was brought into sharp focus on Sunday — with just TWO of Jose Mourinho’s signings making his starting XI.
Outclassed United were demolished 3-1 in the derby.
Jose Mourinho is facing the sack if Manchester United fail to qualify for the Champions LeagueGetty - Contributor
And instead of the likes of Alexis Sanchez (£505k a week), Fred (£52million) and Eric Bailly (£30m), the Old Trafford boss continued to rely heavily on the old guard 2½ years after taking over.
On Thursday, United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward will take questions from investors as the club release their latest financial results.
Maybe one of them should be ‘What on earth happened to that £370m you gave to the manager?’
Meanwhile, over at the noisy neighbours’ place, there has been a very clear changing of the ‘Guard’.
Kyle Walker and Ben Mendy are two of Pep Guardiola’s signings who helped Manchester City beat UnitedAFP or licensors
Pep Guardiola has spent over £500m at Manchester City but is delivering successPA:Press Association
That much was obvious when the team-sheets were handed in just before 3.30pm ahead of the derby at the Etihad.
Mourinho’s United team contained just two of the 11 signings he has made at a cost of around £370m since summer 2016.
Of course, it would have been three had £89m superstar Paul Pogba been fit to line up alongside Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof.
But compare that to the seven Pep Guardiola signings who made up City’s starting XI.
Two others — Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus — could count themselves hugely unfortunate to be on the bench, while a third, Ilkay Gundogan, came on and scored a crucial goal.
It has not always been a straightforward road for Guardiola, as his first 12 months in charge was a huge challenge.
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He has had to be ruthless, showing the door to some old favourites, such as Joe Hart, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta.
And it has not come cheap by any means as the Spanish coach has spent well over £500m.
But there is no doubt this is Guardiola’s team now — and what joy they are giving to their fans right now.
Ruthless Pep Guardiola sold Manchester City legend Yaya Toure in the summerPA:Press Association
Manchester City are producing some of the best football the Premier League has ever seenPA:Empics Sport
As well as producing some of the best football the Premier League has ever seen, they look young, fresh and hungry.
By contrast, can you genuinely say this is Mourinho’s Manchester United now, 29 months after he started the job?
There was a familiar look to United’s team who spent much of the afternoon trying to keep the score down.
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JOSE MOURINHO faces the sack if he fails to make the Champions League.
Manchester United are ready to head in a different direction should they miss out on top-table European football.
Old Trafford executives still admire Mauricio Pochettino, but it looks almost impossible to get him out of the water-tight contract he signed with Tottenham in the summer.
Both United and Real Madrid are keen to snare the Argentine but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will scrap tooth and nail to hang on to his man.
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For Old Trafford legend Gary Neville, it was painfully familiar as he had a heated debate with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness on Sky Sports.
Neville said: “I was watching these players under Louis van Gaal.
“I saw Anthony Martial and Ander Herrera under Louis and they weren’t much better. I’ve seen Louis van Gaal with a lot of these players and I didn’t like what I saw with that.”
United fans will know that feeling.
Anthony Martial was signed by former Manchester United manager Louis van GaalNews Group Newspapers Ltd
You can probably add Chris Smalling, Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young to Neville’s list.
Yet there has been no shortage of new arrivals under Mourinho.
So where were the other signings in their hour of need on Sunday? Two of them — Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — have already left the club, young full-back Diogo Dalot, 19, is one for the future and is injured anyway, while reserve keeper Lee Grant was not required on the day.
Yet two of Mourinho’s highest-profile signings in Alexis Sanchez and £75m Romelu Lukaku were on the bench.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic came and left Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s tenureReuters
Two of Jose Mourinho’s signings in Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku started the derby on the benchSky Sports
The Belgian striker was just back from injury, although there were suggestions United had been more of an attacking threat in his absence.
Those two were joined in the dugout by this summer’s big signing Fred, who was not picked despite Pogba’s absence.
Meanwhile, centre-back Bailly, whose last appearance came when he was subbed after 19 minutes against Newcastle on October 6, did not even make the 18.
No wonder the board were reluctant to get the chequebook out again when Mourinho asked for more reinforcements in August.
But to be fair to the Portuguese coach and United, this time last year City were weighing up January moves for both Sanchez and Fred.
Manchester City have now been ahead of neighbours United after 12 games in each of the last eight seasons. But this term City’s lead is their highest ever in the Premier League era. In 2006, United led City by 18 points after 12 gamesThe Sun
Claudio Bravo is just one Manchester City flop in a number of world class signingsPA:Empics Sport
Yet it is also fair to say Guardiola and his director of football Txiki Begiristain will not be losing much sleep over those two slipping through their fingers, particularly when you look at their own not entirely on-the-money record.
Since the old Barcelona mates were reunited in Manchester in July 2016, their transfer strategy has not been perfect.
Winger Nolito came and went in the space of the year, while keeper Claudio Bravo, currently sidelined with a long-term Achilles injury, will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Yet you would struggle to find too many other flops from among the remaining players they have lavished half a billion on.
Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Kyle Walker . . . the hit-list goes on.
It all allows City to sit back and enjoy the international break, while looking forward to what lies ahead.
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