Jose Mourinho will need time to turn around Manchester United’s fortunes, but there’s a sense that answers are desperately needed at the Theatre of Dreams.
Inconsistency is proving quite an issue for the Red Devils this season, having won their opening three Premier League games but since securing five out of a possible 15 points.
Pinpointing the exact problem is proving a difficult task for Mourinho. United have scored and conceded a respectable 13 and eight league goals respectively yet results haven’t been going their way.
In the eyes of some, though, it’s poor performances from the likes of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney that’s having a negative effect.
Pogba has been under pressure from the get-go and failed to deliver since completing a £89 million move, while Ibrahimovic has missed the most ‘big chances’ in the Premier League so far and Rooney continues to disappoint.
And it would seem Mourinho is coming around to the idea that his star players are letting the team down, so much so that he’s sent a strong warning to his men that no one is “untouchable” under his reign.
The Portuguese once hailed his title-winning Chelsea side of 2005 as untouchable but insists that isn’t the case at United.
He said, per the Independent: “That was 11 years ago, different Premier League, different situation. [Chelsea were] the best team by far, that’s a different story.
“Nobody is untouchable now. Untouchable in our team I think has to be the spirit, the commitment, the pride, the commitment to the club, the respect to the fans.
“That has to be untouchable, but not players.”
If that’s not the motivation for United’s players to step up their game, I don’t know what is.
Mourinho did save praise for Ibrahimovic, though, hailing the 35-year-old for the impact he’s made in United’s dressing room since joining for free over the summer.
“I’m really happy. He’s giving us exactly what we need from him,” he added.
“It’s quite beautiful for me to meet him five or six years later (after they worked together at Inter Milan) and to find the same ambition, passion, and desire to play; desire to compete.
“I couldn’t be happier. The guy is really fit. He’s always ready to play. I couldn’t be happier in terms of his influence in the dressing room.
“Obviously he’s somebody that the young guys look at and what they see is great for them.”
A huge presence Ibrahimovic might be in the dressing room, but Mourinho will hope his star striker quickly rediscovers his goalscoring touch having scored just once in his last seven games, coming against Zorya in the Europa League.