This is Manchester United’s dream January defence including these key targets

RB – Antonio Valencia

For some Manchester United fans, the right-back area was a cause for concern going into this season, with many expecting that Mourinho would be in the market for one during the summer.

However, it’s clear that the Portuguese boss highly rates Valencia, as he revealed last week that he tried to sign the Ecuadorian international while he was manager at Real Madrid.

He was unsuccessful, but clearly saw Valencia’s full-back potential, even at a time when he was playing on the wing for United.

Nonetheless, Mourinho’s faith in the 31-year-old appears to be bringing the best out of him, as Valencia has improved defensively this season, and looks like he’ll be a mainstay in the United back four for the rest of the campaign.