Jose Mourinho’s Man United are looking to win the Premier League this season for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
The former Chelsea manager took over from Louis van Gaal in the summer, and guided the Red Devils to three successive wins at the start of the season.
However, United have won just once in the league since the end of August, and lost 2-1 at home to neighbours Man City in the middle of September.
As a result, Mourinho’s men are five points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in the table, and will look to improve upon their run of form when they return to league action next weekend.
Guardiola’s City lead the way in the Premier League with six wins from seven matches, but their recent defeat to Tottenham could be cause for concern for the former Bayern Munich manager.
There are a few Man United players that would improve the City first team, and here are THREE that would walk into the starting eleven…
David De Gea
Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.
Despite Guardiola bringing in Claudio Bravo, David De Gea would definitely walk into the City team at his expense.
Bravo may have been brought in for his ability on the ball, but you’ve still got to be a decent goalkeeper as well and, in the early stages of the City career, he’s not been that convincing.
One criticism of De Gea in the early stages of his United career was his physicality, but that is no longer an issue, and he’s become one the best ‘keepers in the league in recent years.
The Spaniard is an excellent shot-stopper, his distribution is good, and he’s beginning to command his area in the same way some of the best ‘keepers in recent years have done.
His all-round goalkeeping ability is improving week after week, and would certainly benefit City.
Eric Bailly
Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.
Vincent Kompany is one of the best centre-backs in world football when fully fit, but his persistent injuries must be a cause for concern for Guardiola.
This leaves Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones, and I don’t think that the former is better than United’s Eric Bailly.
For all the business United did over the summer, bringing in Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitariyan, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, signing Bailly from Villarreal could turn out to be the best of the lot.
He has seamlessly adapted to English football, and is thriving at the heart of Mourinho’s back four.
The 22-year-old would walk into the City team and definitely strengthen their defence.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.
The third choice was a difficult one – it could have been Luke Shaw or Anthony Martial, but a strike-force consisting of Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic speaks for itself.
Ibrahimovic joined United in the summer on a free transfer following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, and immediately hit the ground running with five goals in his first six United matches.
Although he has only netted once since the defeat to City a month ago, there is no doubting the Swede’s quality, and a strike-force of him and Aguero would have everything required of a modern-day strike duo.
With the quality City have just behind the frontmen, these two would score a frightening amount of goals.