Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has fewer points than Louis van Gaal had at this stage of last season, but a deeper look at the statistics shows how the Portuguese boss has changed some lingering habits at Old Trafford. Four wins and a draw from his opening seven Premier League games gives Mourinho 13 points, compared with Van Gaal's 16 last term, which had them top of the table. But in two months, Mourinho has dramatically changed their attacking style, possession and work-rate…
First seven league games of 2016/17 compared with 2015/16
Mourinho (16/17) Van Gaal (15/16)
Shots 92 (1st in PL) 54 (17th in PL)
Passes 3623 (5th) 4053 (2nd)
% passes in final third 31.5% (7th) 29.6% (14th)
Crosses 179 (2nd) 123 (17th)
Distance run 735.6km (20th) 802.2 (3rd)
Sprints 3524 3363
Average possession 55.9% 59.8%
United have one more goal at this stage than they did under Van Gaal last season, but the number of shots has nearly doubled under Mourinho. After seven games of last term United had registered just 54 shots on goal, ranked 17th in the Premier League, but United are currently top of the charts with 92, though only 45.7 per cent of those have been on target (11th in the Premier League).
Although Van Gaal's United were relatively shot-shy, they converted 22.2 per cent of their efforts on goal in their first seven games of last season (second in Premier League), compared with 14.1 per cent under Mourinho (10th in Premier League). Mourinho has won four of his opening seven Premier League games as United boss. United's 1-1 draw with Stoke on Sunday saw United register 24 shots, but just a single goal and point to show for it. "One of those days" was the feeling after the match, a far cry from numerous United performances at Old Trafford under Van Gaal in 2015/16, where they averaged 13.1 shots per game. This season that number is up to 16.5. Mourinho was still pleased with the Stoke showing, saying after the match: "It should have been three or four-nil at half-time, six or seven-nil at the end. But the result is 1-1. That's football. It was very undeserved but the best performance so far."
At the other end of the pitch, with United far happier without the ball than under Van Gaal, their defence has inevitably been tested more. They have faced more shots, made more blocks, clearances and interceptions, won slightly less tackles and have conceded three more goals. Conclusion? Mourinho is certainly more daring. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has given United added height up front. In the aftermath of United's 2-1 Community Shield win over Leicester, Mourinho's sly comment on the winning goal, a Zlatan Ibrahimovic header from an Antonio Valencia cross, didn't go unnoticed. "There are some changes and that takes time," Mourinho said. "The second goal, probably last year, instead of crossing, Valencia gets down [the line] and plays a back pass."
