Mourinho Given Reasons To Hope
By Harry Morgan
"For Diogo, it was his first match after a knee surgery, a very good, solid performance. Everybody could see the potential and he is a 19-year-old player who has more than 10 years to play for Manchester United."
That was how Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, described new acquisition, Diogo Dalot’s, debut day performance on a 2018/19 Champions League opening night that saw Paul Pogba leading the Red Devils to a 3-0 win at Young Boys.
Man United won their first Premier League game, but followed up with two consecutive losses which reduced their title-winning credentials until they sparked back to life with wins over Burnley and Watford.
And if there is anything that gives Mourinho and the Man United faithfuls some hope of a better future, then it was their shape up and result at the Stade de Suisse on Wednesday night.
Antonio Valencia was rested, and the mantle fell on a Portuguese teenager who was bought in the summer but is yet to make a senior debut despite two appearances for the U-23 side.
Mourinho could have played Matteo Damian but did not and instead threw in a newcomer on an artificial pitch and in front of 32,000 Young Boys fans bent on creating clamor on their first Champions League night since the rebranding of the competition in 1992.
Dalot, who stood more than 6 feet tall, showed more than enough to hand Mourinho a selection headache over whether to keep Valencia on the bench when Wolves visit Old Trafford on Saturday.
Dalot looked particularly good going forward, and one of his overlapping runs down the flanks, in the first half, saw him shrug off a challenge that almost resulted in a Young Boys defender running into the advertising board.
It is not a big deal if Man United beat Young Boys. But the truth is the era where the Red Devils sent shivers down their opponents' spines before matches are played is no more, and now the English club goes into games banking on player quality than team spirit.
Manchester United have it tough on Swiss soil, and their last visit ended in a 1-0 defeat to Basel on. But, Mourino’s men survived an uncomfortable first 30 minutes against Young Boys.
The Red Devils were 2-0 up before the end of the first half, and a game that looked like a time bomb waiting to explode was under control.
Anthony Martial has been criticised hugely by Mourinho for his inconsistencies. However, the French player scored in the second half, and the scripts tell it was a night that almost every Man United player came to the party.
Scott McTominay was played ahead of Pogba the last time Man United played in the Champions League last season. That was quite a statement, but so was Pogba's performance here.
The France World Cup winner wore the captain's armband in the absence of Antonio Valencia, and he grabbed his first goal at a time when Young Boys looked most likely to take the lead.
Pogba used his skill and technique to ensure that Man United were the first to score. And, he made no mistake when he was offered the opportunity to increase the tally with from the penalty spot.
Pogba replicated his performance against Watford on Saturday, and would undoubtedly be a great character for Manchester United if he can maintain his current level in the coming games.
