Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was under immense pressure after his side lost two of their opening three games. The Portuguese tactician’s press conference after his team’s 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur even made the headlines for days. It was really important for the Red Devils that they got back to winning ways on Sunday.
The matches in which Fellaini played a part, United is yet to concede a goal
However, getting all three points against Burnley at Turf Moor is not an easy task and Mourinho’s men had to make sure that they got their stuff right to do that. One of the main changes the former Chelsea manager made was to bench new arrival Fred and replace him with Fellaini.
When asked about this decision, Mourinho revealed that the move was purely tactical and nothing else. The 55-year-old wanted to add physicality to his team as his opponents were a strong and direct side. Fellaini, who stands at almost 6 feet and 5 inches of height, is one of the most physical players in the league. Hence, deciding to start the Belgian over Fred was a no-brainer for Mourinho.
“We are going to try with Marouane [Fellaini] to cope with the problems that normally Burnley bring to every match“, Mourinho said ahead of his side’s game against Burnley.
It won’t be wrong to say that the manager’s decision paid off as Manchester United took home all the three points from Turf Moor as they defeated the Clarets 2-0, thanks to a brace from Romelu Lukaku.
AUTHOR’S TAKE:
It was essential for Manchester United to get a win on Sunday and Mourinho had to get his tactics right for that. Fred hasn’t been able to find his form since his arrival at the Old Trafford, while Fellaini is always a wildcard option the manager can look up to.