Three defeats in eight days have blown apart José Mourinho’s encouraging start at Old Trafford, but whether the problem is Rooney, Pogba, the defence or the midfield, the manager needs solutions, and fast

Decide on his team

At the moment José Mourinho is a manager confused regarding his best XI or Manchester United would not have lost three consecutive games and the Portuguese suffer the run for a first time since his Porto days. The Portuguese’s indecisiveness is quaint for a glittering career built on the requisite ruthlessness. For the defeat against Manchester City in came Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a full debut despite an injury during the international break, and Jesse Lingard, who had not featured since the Community Shield for the same reason. This meant Marcus Rashford, who scored a dying-moments winner at Hull City and a hat-trick for England Under‑21s in his two previous outings, was on the bench again. By half-time Mkhitaryan and Lingard had been dire and were hooked – Rashford and Ander Herrera went on.

The muddled thinking continued at Watford. Paul Pogba’s disappointing form meant Mourinho discarded the 4-2-3-1 he had thus far fielded for a 4-3-3 that had the Frenchman on the left of midfield. Wayne Rooney was on the right – yet another puzzler as Mourinho has said that Rooney is a 10, 9, or 9½, but never an 8. Both Pogba and the captain were poor.

Build the team around Pogba

To splurge £89.3m on an attacking midfielder and not centre the team around him is baffling. Yet it seems a world-record outlay has been paid only for Mourinho to be confused on how best to harness Pogba. The France international has operated in midfield as one of a pair – against Southampton, Hull, and Manchester City; as a No10 – in last week’s defeat at Feyenoord; and then in the midfield three at Watford.

Manchester United’s midfield left in a mess by Wayne Rooney’s deeper role | Paul Doyle Read more

There is considerable onus on Pogba to take any contest by the throat wherever he plays. This is what all (supposedly) great footballers do and if this act is beyond the Frenchman why was he brought back to Old Trafford?

The 23-year-old is only six games into his second spell at the club so these are early days. At Juventus, Pogba had Andrea Pirlo pulling the strings behind so that he could roam free: maybe Michael Carrick should be given a first chance of the season to see if he can operate as Pogba’s new Pirlo.

Stop publicly exposing his squad

Twice now Mourinho has stated players lack bottle and criticised individuals for mistakes. Following the defeat against City, the Portuguese said: “Some of the boys felt the dimension of the game. Everything – the derby, the big game, Man United, Man City, the focus, the attention.”

He then went on to question the performances of Daley Blind and Eric Bailly. After the defeat at Watford, Mourinho said: “Some individuals probably feel the pressure and responsibility too much.” And he pointed to Luke Shaw as being responsible for Watford’s winner.

Citing unnamed players as lacking mental courage starts a scramble to discover whom precisely Mourinho means, and stories may emerge of dressing‑room unrest via the hurt parties. Mourinho’s public outing also provokes an uncomfortable question: why is any member of his squad at the club and earning a gargantuan salary if the pressure is too much for them?This clumsy man-management is further compounded by the citing of Bailly, Blind and Shaw – Mourinho could be accused of not protecting his players.

Drop Rooney, Ibrahimovic, Fellaini (or anyone)

The debate over Rooney’s place in the side constantly thrums, even when United are winning. Now they are losing the noise is far louder. If he deserves to be excluded, Mourinho should act, as he should do in regards to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marouane Fellaini or AN Other.

Ibrahimovic’s four goals in five league outings cannot be ignored, but neither can his lack of mobility and pace when a match needs to be stretched or a different dimension is required. Rashford or Anthony Martial each offer speed and devilry at centre-forward, whether from the start or as an in-game tactical switch.

Fellaini and Rooney out of place in altered Manchester United system | Michael Cox Read more

The dropping of the limited Fellaini would allow Carrick’s more varied talents into the side. Beyond this, Bailly may need a breather as mistakes have began to creep in and Antonio Valencia can be limited at right-back.

Increase the tempo

To watch United and City at the moment is like witnessing an elephant and a leopard. Mourinho’s team are lumbering, ideas-poor and second-rate virtually everywhere. Pep Guardiola’s side seem to have 11 light-footed, brilliant-minded players who together form a terrifying unit that (so far) no opposition can quell.

Mourinho was correct to complain about the lack of pressing from his players on Sunday. Without the ball United need to be more urgent and with it quicker in thought, passing and movement. These are the glittering base elements Guardiola’s City are built upon.

Currently, United under Mourinho resemble United under Louis van Gaal, which is not what the fans or the owners desire at all.