Manchester United could not beat Burnley at home on Saturday afternoon in what was a game they simply had to win with rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal extending their lead at the top of the table.
Poor finishing was surely the root problem for United, but there was also big problems in midfield. Interestingly, a player that is good at both creating and scoring goals is one of the clubs summer signings: Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Despite being fit, the Armenian was once again left out of the teams matchday squad. His only Premier League start in a United shirt to date was against Manchester City towards the start of the season. Of course United were terrible in that game and to be fair to Mourinho, so was Mkhitaryan. He was hooked off at half time and we haven’t seen him since – but it seems a bit harsh to so severly punish him when players like Wayne Rooney and Jese Lingard continue to be forgiven for below par performances.
Earlier this week, we brought you the news that Mkhitaryan had reportedly turned down Arsenal in favour of joining Manchester United, mainly because he thought he’d play more at United. That certainly hasn’t been the case. After Mkhitaryan was not named in the league cup squad to play Manchester City, Mourinho assured fans that the player was 100% fit, just not selected. With a home game against Burnley coming up, surely that was viewed as a good oppurtunity to bed him in? Nope. The Armenian was once again ignored and didn’t make the squad – yet United once again couldn’t score.
Mkhitaryan was one of Europe’s most effective players in the final third last season, he scored more than 20 goals in all comps and assisted more than 20 goals in all comps, yet a blunt a lifeless United team don’t need him, according to Mourinho? Something must be going on behind the scenes. The club wouldn’t agree to pay over £20million and more than £200,000 per week to a player that was going to not even make the matchday squad.
Here’s what the fans are saying about Mkhitaryan’s situation.
I am locked in basement at Old Trafford.@evilkagawa warn me about this
— Evil Mkhitaryan (@evilhenrikh) October 29, 2016
Carrick, Schneiderlin and Fellaini bench options v Burnley but a 100% fit Mkhitaryan isn’t? Something’s up there, whatever nonsense Mou says
— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawESPN) October 29, 2016
Man Utd could do with a player of Mkhitaryan’s creative quality, I’d say.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) October 29, 2016
How on earth is Mkhitaryan ever going to adapt to English football if he doesn’t even get a place on the bench? Mourinho’s weird.
— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawESPN) October 29, 2016
Mad how Mourinho signed Mkhitaryan, one of the best players in Europe last season, and he doesn’t even make the United bench. Total waste.
— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) October 29, 2016
When asked about the issue Mourinho suggested that the player needs time to adapt, just like Willian (at Chelsea) and Di Maria (at Real Madrid) did. It’s hard to see him adapting any time soon with Mourinho not willing to put him into a squad is underperforming and not even able to beat Burnley at home. Surely he’s at least worth having on the bench in situations like yesterday? I can’t help but feel something is going on behind the scenes.
