Well, Manchester United fans, you wanted Jose Mourinho.
And this was Jose Mourinho at his best/worst, depending on your viewpoint.
The United manager shut down the game against Liverpool in a way only he can.
Mourinho’s team were compact, aggressive and unadventurous, they came for a point, and left with a point. Passing lanes were cut-off, the game was slowed down and no chances were taken.
It wasn’t the “Manchester United way” and it was as boring, if not more boring, than anything witnessed when Louis van Gaal was manager, (Van Gaal won both games as United manager at Anfield), but it was effective.
However, it was arguably deeply unambitious and negative. United fans will undoubtedly console themselves with a point gained at the home of their rivals, but these two stats don’t make for pleasant reading for fans of the Old Trafford club famed for their attacking football.
United’s recorded 35 percent possession in the game. That’s the lowest amount of possession recorded in a Premier League game by United since Opta began compiling statistics back in 2003.
The proper football men of the world might decry possession statistics as being misleading and unimportant, but they indicate a team’s willingness to get on the ball and take control of a game. United, even under Van Gaal, attempted to do that, but Mourinho was more focused on cutting-off space for Liverpool.
https://twitter.com/_AndyHa/status/788124255493824512
Mourinho, however, disputed the figure following the game.
Mourinho walks back into press conf room to insist that a 35% ball poss figure quoted at him was wrong. “42% – our figure is right” #mufc
— ian herbert (@ianherbs) October 17, 2016
This stat, which further highlights their lack of ambition at Anfield.
Southampton forward Nathan Redmond had twice as many touches in the opposition penalty area against Burnley on Sunday as the whole United team did at Anfield on Monday evening.
Touches in opposition penalty area this weekend:
Man City 64
Nathan Redmond 12
Man Utd 6— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) October 17, 2016
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