RTÉ soccer analyst Kenny Cunningham believes Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho may need two more transfer windows to reinforce his squad and make them serious Premier League title contenders.
The Red Devils ground out a dull 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Monday night in a defensive display that saw the visitors record just 35% possession, their lowest figure since Opta Stats came into operation.
Despite spending close to €200m in bringing in Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic [free], United looked devoid of a cutting edge at Anfield.
Many have criticised Mourinho’s pragmatic style and the form of Pogba, the world’s most expensive player, continues to be a talking point.
The French international played off Ibrahimovic in an attacking midfield role and while he has featured in different positions for United this season, he has struggled to make an impression.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Cunningham said that Mourinho has a lot of work to do to rejuvenate the club’s fortunes, with midfield an obvious area of concern.
“Manchester United are still very much in progress,” he said.
“I look at the midfield partnership of Herrera and Felliani. For me, that’s not a partnership that’s going to win you the league.
“The balance in the team still isn’t there. He’s still searching, it may take him another transfer window, even two transfer windows to get it right.”
While Pogba has come in for criticism since the summer move, Cunningham admits that he needs to be showing more in the midfield engine room.
“I’m a big fan of his, he’s a wonderful talent but he’s still developing and he needs to get better.
“He needs to find more of an end product to his game.”
The question of where to play Pogba is a pressing one and the former Republic of Ireland international says the onus is on Mourinho to set up the team correctly to maximise his talents.
“A player like that you do have to move the chess pieces around a bit.
“You can’t play him with Felliani in a two [man midfield] as he did against Manchester City because Fellaini is not defensively sound and mobile enough to cover the ground.
“If you put him in a three, exactly where do you put him?
“I look at Man United and I don’t see that natural holding midfield player. He did okay against Liverpool, but he was bought as a predominantly attacking midfielder.
“Mourinho needs to find the right players to play beside him to get the best out of him on the pitch."
