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Mourinho's Men Were Made To Work Hard For Three Points
Manchester United have moved to within five points of Premier League leaders Manchester City courtesy of a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Jose Mourinho’s side struggled to make their mark in the first period, but took the lead in the 66th minute courtesy of a deflected effort from Ashley Young.
Below are four talking points from the clash at Old Trafford.
United close gap on City as the derby draws closer
Anything other than all three points against Brighton would have been a disaster for United when considering the gap that has already been opened. City will fancy their chances of beating Huddersfield Town on Sunday afternoon, but for now the difference between the leaders and second is five points.
United now face two difficult trips to Watford and Arsenal before welcoming City to Old Trafford on December 10. The Red Devils have not lost a single home Premier League match since City beat them in the corresponding match last term, and the importance of the latest derby simply cannot be downplayed.
When considering that City’s next three league fixtures are against Huddersfield (A), Southampton (H) and West Ham United (H), United will more than likely have to beat their neighbours next month to prevent Pep Guardiola’s side from opening up a potentially unassailable lead at the summit.
United can only concentrate on their own results over the next seven days, and Mourinho will be targeting wins over Watford and Arsenal in a bid to stay within touching distance of their bitterness
Young has developed into a fine left-back
Young was a flying winger during his time at Watford and Aston Villa, and was purchased by United in 2011 with the view to operating in midfield. His time at Old Trafford looked to be coming to an end when Mourinho took charge, but the 32-year-old has become one of his manager’s most trusted players.
It could be said that Young has developed into a jack of all trades, master of none, with the Englishman capable of operating on either side of a back four, in either wing-back position or as one of the wide midfielders in a defensive formation.
He has excelled in the left-back position, however, and has a serious chance of making Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2018 World Cup due to his United form.
Young, whose deflected effort in the 66th minute went down as a Lewis Dunk own goal, has now started nine of United’s 13 Premier League matches this season – providing two assists and one goal. The Red Devils miss the Englishman’s delivery when he does not feature, and the number 18 has also sharpened up his defensive skills in the early stages of the 2017-18 campaign.
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