United went down 3-1 to Watford on Sunday having lost the Manchester derby the previous weekend and in the Europa League at Feyenoord on Thursday.
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Shaw was substituted two minutes after the lapse in judgment and television cameras, for BT Sport, caught the pair exchanging strong words on the visitors’ bench at Vicarage Road with the defender putting forward his case.
United really needed their wide-men to stay high and wide because by cutting in so early they were no help to their full-backs, or anyone else. Rooney isn’t in good form and doesn’t deserve to be in the first eleven.
Sutton, who won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995, insists it is time that both United and England call time on the 30-year-old. Luke Shaw has been one of the best performers for Man United this season, after spending nearly a year recuperating from the broken leg he suffered last September. They seem to think they will get somebody to pay £10m for Jones, who has missed the start of this season with a knee injury. His partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo was wonderful to watch as Manchester United became an all-conquering force, not just in England, but Europe, reaching back to back Champions League finals in ’08 and ’09. It means I have more in my armoury when it comes to the matches.
“If you analyze our three defeats in the last week, we were always the best team in the second half.”
As has been the case for much of his career, debate continues to rage about Rooney’s best position.
With a big striker like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and runners like Rashford, this United side have got plenty of targets for that kind of playmaker, but against Watford they did not have a midfielder with the required passing range. On Monday they told us that Barcelona’s technical director Robert Fernandez had been in contact with Bellerin to make it clear that they wanted him back in Spain, and on Tuesday the newspaper names the price they believe will be enough. He’s not effective in attack or midfield and slows the play down constantly when on the ball. But his team needs Mourinho to act now. It was also a tough week for the team’s manager Jose Mourinho, who has never before suffered three consecutive defeats.
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The most incriminating aspect of United’s start as far as Mourinho is concerned is not inconsistency from young players but a lack of clarity from a seasoned manager.
