Manchester United can't win Premier League title with their current squad... Jose Mourinho relies too heavily on his top stars, such as Paul Pogba

  • Manchester United have a tendency to rely on their top stars more than others 
  • Deficiencies have emerged without the services of Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly 
  • Jose Mourinho has players that would not be coveted by other 'Big Six' clubs

By Ian Ladyman for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

All teams rely on their best players but perhaps Manchester United do so more than some of their rivals.

Take Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly out, for example, and deficiencies emerge.

Modern football is a squad game, and United’s team on Saturday had some obvious holes in it.


Jose Mourinho spoke about attitude, but what if the problem is more fundamental? What if his squad isn’t deep enough to challenge a Manchester City team who — apart from at left back and goalkeeper — have genuine cover in all positions?

Manchester United have tend to rely more heavily on their best players than their rivals

Manchester United have tend to rely more heavily on their best players than their rivals

All teams are ultimately judged by the strengths of their rivals and that may prove United’s problem.

Saturday’s team included Ander Herrera, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia. Not many of those would be coveted by City, Tottenham or even Liverpool.

They will continue to rely on David de Gea, Nemanja Matic, Romelu Lukaku and — when fit — Pogba and Bailly.

With games to come against Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and City before mid-December, they will certainly need more than attitude to get through.

Jesse Lingard was in the United squad, but it's unlikely he would be coveted by the 'Big Six' 

Jesse Lingard was in the United squad, but it's unlikely he would be coveted by the 'Big Six' 

 

Premier LeaguePaul Pogba

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