Jose Mourimho arrives at Turf Moor.

Mourinho makes three changes as United face Burnley

Sunday 02 September 2018 15:02

Alexis Sanchez returns to the Manchester United starting XI as Jose Mourinho makes a total of three changes to his Manchester United side to face Burnley at Turf Moor, as the Reds look to bounce back from successive defeats.

Alexis looked sharp in his second-half substitute showing in the defeat to Tottenham and he starts today in place of Fred.

Alexis Sanchez is back in United's starting line-up.

Victor Lindelöf comes back into the side in place of the injured Phil Jones in what looks like an orthodox four in defence with Chris Smalling retaining his place. Reds captain Antonio Valencia and the impressive Luke Shaw keep their berths in the full-back positions.

 

Marouane Fellaini makes his first start of the season in what appears to be a midfield three alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba. Jesse Lingard, Alexis and Romelu Lukaku are the front three.

Jose Mourinho spoke to BBC Radio Five Live before the match and was asked if he thought the inclusion of Marouane Fellaini would help United at both ends of the field.

“We hope so," he admitted. "We hope he will help us play against a team that has a certain style of play and we want to use Marouane to cope with the problems that Burnley pose. 

"They [Burnley] are physical, they are direct, they go very direct into the box, they try to create crossing situations, they try to have lots of set pieces, corners and free kicks. They are very pragmatic.

"We thought that we needed a little bit of Marouane’s physicality [to help us with these situations.]"

Marouane Fellaini joins in the warm-up ahead of his first start in 2018/19.

United: De Gea; Valencia, Lindelöf, Smalling, Shaw; Fellaini, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Alexis.

Substitutes: Grant, Bailly, Young, Fred, Herrera, Rashford, Martial.

Burnley: Hart, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Lennon, Cork, Hendrick, Westwood, McNeil, Wood.

Substitutes: Heaton, Lowton, Ward, Vydra, Long, Barnes, Vokes.