Jose Mourinho has done what he has managed at all his clubs – instilled a great work ethic, a tremendous squad spirit and a dogged resilience that has made Manchester United one of the hardest teams to beat in the Premier League.
A club-record equalling 24 game unbeaten run in the Premier League is testimony to that – United have actually lost two fewer games than champions-elect Chelsea and the same number as second-placed Tottenham.
But they have drawn far too many games because of a lack of a killer instinct. They have managed only 50 goals from 33 League games and are heading for their second worst total for a season in the Premier League era.
Mourinho has been well aware of their deficiencies for a long time and that is why he has made Antonie Griezmann and Romelu Lukaku his top summer targets.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s long-term lay-off may have intensified United’s need for more goal power but even before the Swede was injured, Mourinho knew the 35-year-old couldn’t go on for ever and that the attacking department was the key area to strengthen.
He is predicting a big season for Marcus Rashford, who has looked sharp in recent games but United cannot rely totally on such a young player to shoulder the goals burden.
Jose Mourinho wants to bring Romelu Lukaku and Antoine Griezmann to Man United in the summer
Anthony Martial has shown glimpses of his undoubted talent but Mourinho wants more work and greater consistency out of the French youngster and has effectively told him to take a leaf out of Rashford’s book.
At the back United have been solid with only 24 goals conceded so far – only Tottenham (23) have conceded less.
But because of the continuing concerns over the fitness reliability of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, Mourinho needs a new centre half and United are favourites to buy back Michael Keane from Burnley.
With Michael Carrick, now 35, and yet to be offered a contract extension, Mourinho needs a new midfield anchor has had his scouts watching Monaco’s powerhouse Tiemoue Bakayoko. He also admires Paris Saint-Germain’s tenacious midfielder Marco Veratti.
United were certainly not pretty in the goal-less stalemate in the Manchester derby last night but they were resolute. And Mourinho was delighted with the way they put bodies on the line to keep City at bay.
He believes that with one or two key additions he can turn his fighting unit into genuine title challengers next season.
Jose Mourinho is interested in bringing Burnley defender Michael Keane back to Old Trafford
Mourinho believes Louis Van Gaal left him a decent squad but says it was one that wasn’t “happy” and lacked confidence.
He said: “The group [inherited] was a nice group, honestly, the group was a nice group. Good people, good boys, committed people, so I think Louis Van Gaal left here a good group of boys with very good relations between them.
“But I think they missed happiness, they missed trust, they missed belief, they missed this extra bit that brings resilience, brings you fight – and they have it now.
“So when we meet again for next season on July 9 it is a strong group, so the new players, when they will arrive, will find a group more ready to go for big things.
“But the reality at the moment is that we are fighting to win the Europa League and we are fighting to try to finish fourth, so let’s go.”
Mourinho’s injury problems deepened following Marouane Fellaini’s foolish red card and subsequent three-game ban plus an injury to youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who came on as a late sub in an emergency midfield role and hurt himself in the final seconds of the game.
It means he could have eight players missing for the home game with Swansea on Sunday with Paul Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Smalling, Jones, Marcos Rojo and Juan Mata all on the sidelines although there is a chance Mata could be back after his groin surgery.
Juan Mata could return for United against Swansea on Sunday (12pm)
And he admits skipper Wayne Rooney, who was an unused sub in the derby, could be an option in midfield, where he played for both Van Gaal and Roy Hodgson when he was in charge of England.
He added: “Yes, he’s an option. We don’t have [any other players there]. We have Herrera and Carrick and nothing else. Fosu-Mensah, like today, an emergency to help the team, strong legs, energy, he’s another one that we will miss, so we are in trouble but we will fight, that’s for sure.
Looking on the positive side, Mourinho believes all the injury problems, plus the fixture overload, is actually helping to make the squad spirit stronger – he even joked that he might even have to play himself.
“So maybe it’s a blessing,” he said, “an opportunity to make the team stronger, maybe it’s an opportunity to make them mentally stronger.
“Maybe it’s a blessing, so let’s see if they can comeback. I think the first one to come back is Mata, which will give us another option in attack, but in reality what we need now is one of the two centre-backs [Smalling and Jones] to be back.
“In this moment Eric Bailly is the only option we have. Then there is Axel Tuanzebe and Daley Blind. and Daley. I think Eric and Daley they played again absolutely amazingly. I have to speak with them and see how they are, see how they feel.
“I’m also training hard in the gym so I can also be an option. Mourinho and Tuanzebe against Swansea!”
