This World Cup is really getting closer to its end. There are four more matches to be played and on Sunday we will know who is the new world champion. France and England are chasing their second title, while Belgium and Croatia want to be the new team amongst the greatest sides in history of football. Yet, we will now be taking our minds towards Manchester United. We will look into what are the biggest gains Manchester United could exploit during the next season thanks to seeing their own players in Russia.
Romelu Lukaku’s Leadership
There is something about Romelu Lukaku playing for Belgium. Even if you are not their biggest fan, seeing what Lukaku does for that team and how he behaves is a breath of fresh air. It is not that he is not great for United, but Lukaku seems to elevate himself when in Belgium’s shirt, becoming a leader of a side that is ready to conquer the world. Before every match, the forward is the one giving a motivational speech to his team-mates circled around him.
His performances on the pitch have been worthy of a man who is Belgium’s top goalscorer at the age of 25. He scored four goals from his first four shots on target, but then afterwards he was leading this team in a different way. Just look at Belgium’s third goal against Japan and their second against Brazil and you will realise just how mature Lukaku looks on the pitch.
Jesse Lingard Proving Himself Once More
There is that usual thought before big Man United games that Jesse Lingard likes big occasions. He likes finals and grand stages and the World Cup is the greatest of them all. He continues proving himself in Russia, being vital for the way England are playing. There should not be underestimation of what has Raheem Sterling done for the side with his constant look for the ball and movement, but Lingard has been as mobile as the Man City player. His passing reliability has been the best of all midfielders with at least three appearances and his assist for England’s second against Sweden was another proof of that.
His beautiful strike against Panama, though, is a cherry on top of a cake, but the cake itself is made of his tireless, inteligent moves that allow England to be the team they are.
More Possibilities Around Pogba
Jose Mourinho has been watching this tournament and Jose Mourinho definitely had some interesting things to see. From Martinez’s use of Lukaku at right wing, to Paul Pogba’s different role at France team. It is not that Pogba has been playing in a completely different setup to that at Man United, rather it is about that system being tweaked by Didier Deschamps. France are using a 4-2-3-1 system where Pogba is nominally a defensive midfielder alongside N’Golo Kante.
However, with Blaise Matuidi being the “winger”, and a very defensive one, Pogba gets more place to roam around, while the team still has defensive solidity. And sure, it helps when you have N’Golo Kante as your partner.
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