UK Edition
Man Utd's pre-season review: Have United now got the squad to mount a serious challenge?
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has won the domestic title in the second season at every one of his previous clubs but the Portuguese is under no illusions about the size of the challenge he faces maintaining that remarkable record.
Are United better placed to hit the ground running?
United’s preparations for Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge were drastically undermined last summer by a chaotic and, at times, farcical tour of China. The training and playing conditions were poor, the 40C heat and humidity oppressive and debilitating and a planned derby against Manchester City in Beijing was cancelled owing to the shambolic state of the pitch at the Bird’s Nest.
By contrast, the set-up on United’s 18-day tour of the US this summer could not have been more different. Mourinho has raved about the standard of the facilities and organisation at his favoured UCLA base in Los Angeles and they benefited from training at similarly high-quality venues in Houston and Georgetown in Washington DC, free from the hysteria and chaos of Asia.
The manager also sought to ensure United faced intensive, quality opposition on tour after playing just four rather underwhelming matches in the run-up to the Community Shield last August.
Three of United’s five matches in the US were against City, Real Madrid and Barcelona and, having returned home on Thursday lunchtime, they are now due to play Valerenga in Oslo on Sunday and Sampdoria in Dublin three days later before taking on Real in the European Super Cup in Skopje on August 8.
Mourinho was clearly determined to ensure his side were not under cooked for the Real game, with another trophy on the line, or their opening Premier League match against West Ham United.
“It has been a big difference to what happened last year in China,” goalkeeper Sergio Romero said. “The biggest difference between here and China is that there it was incredibly hot, very humid and we only played one match. It’s been a lot better here this year and that will only help us for the season ahead.
"We have played a lot of matches and we have done things a lot better and you will see the results of that in the long term.”
Is Mourinho threatened by Man City and Chelsea's spending?
City have issued a serious statement of intent this summer by spending £220 million on six players, a figure that is only set to rise as they pursue Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and a centre-half, and Chelsea are likely to double their £130-million outlay before the close of the transfer window on August 31.
Both will represent a serious threat to United’s own title ambitions next season, while his rivals’ spending may deepen Mourinho’s frustration that he has not yet been able to add to his two signings so far.
But in an interview with reporters in Washington this week, Mourinho made it clear that he sees Spurs providing just as big a challenge as City and Chelsea and argued that their determination to retain their best players could end up being the best investment of the lot.
Mourinho would not discount the prospects of Arsenal or Liverpool either, and he made a point of referencing Everton, too, but it is clear the United manager sees the main challenge coming from City, Chelsea and Spurs.
Can Pogba become United's driving force?
Paul Pogba was far better last season than many obsessed by the world-record £89 million fee that United paid Juventus for the France midfielder were prepared to give him credit for. He routinely put chances on a plate for team-mates that were missed, hit the woodwork nine times himself and also missed a fair share of one-on-ones.
The margins were slim and if things work more in his favour next term, United could reap handsome rewards.
Pogba’s form on tour in the US certainly augurs well. He was incisive and influential in most games and his passing a potent weapon in helping to break down opponents. Mourinho watched Pogba excel in the 1-0 defeat against Barcelona in Washington and later declare that he was the one member of his United squad who belonged among the world’s elite players.
Pogba barely had a pre-season last summer owing to France’s involvement in the Euros, but with the benefit of a full-season to prepare, Mourinho expects to see a marked difference.
“Last season he came in the week where we started the Premier League,” the manager said. “Paul ended the season by being an important player, also in the dressing room, and he starts this season from day one very comfortable with that role. Paul can be like the leader of the young people. I think he has a fantastic role to play with us and will be much more ready to do it than last season.”
Will Lukaku be able to fill Zlatan's shoes?
There was one moment on tour that underlined why Mourinho was so keen to bring Romelu Lukaku to Old Trafford this summer. Beating Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to the ball in Houston, the Belgium striker looked to have taken the ball too wide, but his only intention was to shoot and from the tightest of angles he drilled a bullet finish into the net.
As influential as Ibrahimovic was for United last term, the veteran Swede did not score goals like that. United were found wanting too often against the Premier League’s lesser lights last season, with draws at home to the likes of Burnley, Stoke, Hull City, Bournemouth and Swansea exposing a lack of cutting edge in attack that Mourinho will hope Lukaku can address.
He has certainly had no problem putting such teams to the sword in the past and there have been some encouraging early signs from the 24 year-old. He may lack the finesse of some centre-forwards, but he is effective and the other hope for Mourinho is that the Belgian hits it off with Marcus Rashford.
There appeared to be a good understanding between the pair on tour and United’s prospects of success will hinge heavily on the form of those two.
Have United got the squad to make a serious challenge?
Mourinho has already admitted he does not have “the best squad in the world or the best players in the world” and has spoken extensively about the struggles to sign the additional two players he wants.
If City managed to prise Sanchez from Arsenal, it would leave Pep Guardiola with an embarrassment of riches up front and only heighten the need for United to land a player of Gareth Bale’s quality.
For all the ability of Lukaku, Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and even with Ibrahimovic likely to return for the second half of the season, United’s attack lacks game changers like Sanchez, Sergio Aguero and Eden Hazard, which is why Bale would offer a much-needed injection of star quality.
United remain confident of bringing Serbian Nemanja Matic in from Chelsea to stiffen the midfield but it remains to be seen how Victor Lindelof, a £31m-arrival from Benfica, gets on.
Eric Bailly settled very quickly into English football and Mourinho will hope Lindelof does the same, but the Sweden centre-half had an uncertain time of it in the US on tour.