Mourinho: It’s not just about Zlatan and Pogba

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba may have been the headline acts at Old Trafford on Friday night, but Jose Mourinho was left most impressed by Manchester United’s new-and-improved unsung heroes.

Ibrahimovic took his United tally to four goals in three competitive games with his double in the 2-0 win against Southampton and Pogba, who was not expected to play the full 90 minutes, showed why United shelled out £89m in flashes.

But there are signs that players left over from Louis van Gaal’s reign are also coming out of their shells, with Mourinho drawing attention to three of his star performers in particular.

Daley Blind, in his second season as a centre-back, is forming a fine partnership with new signing Eric Bailly while Antonio Valencia has flourished at right-back.

Marouane Fellaini has also been given a new lease of life in the centre of midfield, and Mourinho was keen to share the praise amongst his squad.

“I think Pogba and Ibrahimovic were very, very good, but I could say the same about Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the last 20 minutes when he showed his quality,” he said.

“What pleases me more is the others rising to a different level like Valencia and Blind, and Marouane.

“I’m happy with the result and the performance. It’s difficult for us to be better in this moment. The opponents are good, they have good quality. You have to be mentally strong to cope with it but then we score goals and we are always in control.”

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Fellaini has been a target of derision since moving to United three years ago, but a word in the ear from Mourinho could well be the reason for his improved form.

“Fellaini is playing well,” Mourinho added. “It’s a complete change in the relationship and I am happy with the result.

“Maybe a simple phone call can make a difference to a player who was feeling he was not loved, to a player who when the transfer market opened everyone was saying he was leaving. Everyone was saying he wasn’t for me.

“Maybe a simple phone call then, after my presentation as Manchester United manager, changed a lot. I said to him, ‘Forget everything you read. With me you don’t leave, for sure’.”