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Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer: Manchester United and Jose Mourinho have no spark – and the manager is to blame

Special One's mood is rubbing off on his players as they dropped six points in three games

IT is said a team is a mirror image of it’s manager. Right now that is the case with Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho is totally flat and so is his team.

 Jose Mourinho has cut a frustrated figure over the festive period
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Jose Mourinho has cut a frustrated figure over the festive periodCredit: PA:Empics Sport

I cannot remember the last time I saw him smile. There is no energy or spark and certainly none in his team right now.

He acts like the whole world is against him.

Jose has pointed to penalty appeals in each of the three draws that have totally derailed their season over the festive period.

I would point to the overall performances in each of those three games against Leicester, Burnley and  Southampton — simply not good enough.

 Manchester United have dropped six points in their last three matches
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Manchester United have dropped six points in their last three matchesCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 Alan Shearer reckons Jose Mourinho's attitude is rubbing off on his players
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Alan Shearer reckons Jose Mourinho's attitude is rubbing off on his playersCredit: Rex Features

They did not do enough to win any of them and you could say they were fortunate to get a point against Burnley with an injury-time equaliser.

Yes, they had the majority of the play against Southampton, yet who made the save of the game? David De Gea.

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While I wasn’t at Old Trafford, watching the live feed in the MOTD studios I did sense the first real grumblings among the crowd.

There was a great sense of anticipation before the season started. After all, it was the second season under Mourinho when things have always kicked in at his previous clubs.

Yet they sit  just four points better off than at this time last season.

Jose has been at pains to deflect the blame. Not least over to the blue side of Manchester and their amazing spending ability.

It’s not like he hasn’t shelled out the cash in the transfer market — all £300million of it!

It was he who bought Romelu Lukaku,  Nemanja Matic, Victor Lindelof, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Who broke the then world record transfer fee to get Paul Pogba?

But he is not getting the best out of any of them right now. Mkhitaryan would struggle to get in any Premier League  team at the moment, let alone United’s.

Jose Mourinho gives us his thoughts on the decisions that went against Manchester United in match against Southampton
 United boss Jose Mourinho is not getting the best out of Paul Pogba
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United boss Jose Mourinho is not getting the best out of Paul PogbaCredit: Rex Features
 Pep Guardiola has a better squad to start with but has bought well to compliment the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Sergio Aguero
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Pep Guardiola has a better squad to start with but has bought well to compliment the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Sergio AgueroCredit: AFP or licensors

Look at what Jose already had at his  disposal as well:

One of the best attacking right-backs in the country in Antonio Valencia.

The best keeper in the world in  De Gea. Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard — all very good players.

Pep Guardiola has added to what he had but also made what he inherited better.

Yet the message from the Manchester United manager about his players is a  negative one, that they are simply not good enough.

For me the problem all came down to the Manchester derby.

At that point there was a chance to close the gap to five points. It was a game United  had to win. Yet on the sidelines, the reality dawned on Jose.

The City team was simply on a different planet. This was not a team they were going to beat or catch. They were so much better.

For a manager used to winning, it will have hurt.

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 The Manchester derby highlighted a gulf in class between the sides
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The Manchester derby highlighted a gulf in class between the sidesCredit: Reuters

Even with a team that is not as good as the opponent, he was a manager who could always find a way.

I had no problem with the way he set up on that day.

You cannot take this City team on at football, although Crystal Palace deserve great credit for having a go yesterday and almost becoming the first team to beat them.

Jose Mourinho gets frustrated with journalists after Leicester v Manchester United draw

But what Mourinho realised is you cannot simply park the bus and stop them. That does not mean you wave the white flag, though, but that is what he is doing.

Injuries, referees, money, all written on a flag of surrender.

In his defence he started from a poorer place than Pep who had the likes of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne already installed at the club. That is why Jose has said  the £300m was not enough.

But the fans are sick of the excuses, they want action and right now that is in short supply with this side.

It is time for Jose to pick himself up and this team — or things are only going to get worse.

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