Victor Lindelof wasted no time resting on his laurels following his Old Trafford debut. The Swedish defended hot-footed it home after Manchester United’s 3-0 Champions League win against Basel to watch a recording of the match. Jose Mourinho’s £30m summer signing from Benfica is getting his teeth into adapting to the Reds following a struggle in pre-season that saw him benched or in the stands since the Super Cup against Real Madrid in Macedonia. But with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones suspended for the visit of the Swiss champions, the 23-year-old was given a reprieve. And his desire to improve is clear.
“I think it was a very good debut,” Lindelof said. “To play my first match at Old Trafford is something I have really waited for. It felt really good “I played my own game and did what I was told to do on the pitch. Now I’m going to watch the replay to see if there’s anything that I could have done better. “I feel pretty confident and know what I’m able to do. That’s what I was trying to do on the pitch.” Much has been made of manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to keep his new buy out of the firing line since Skopje, comparing it to his treatment of Henrikh Mkhitaryan 12 months ago as the Armenian midfielder adapted to life in England.
“I have noticed what’s been written, but it’s not something that I have focused on,” added Lindelof. “I try to focus on my game and add as much as I can to the team. Lindelof was happy with his Old Trafford debut against Basel Lindelof appeared more comfortable in the back four Mourinho chose against Basel. “We’re going to play the system the manager think is the best. I’m used to play with four at the back, but if Mourinho wants to play with five or three, that’s no problem at all,” he said. Mourinho, however, even has plans for the Swede to play in midfield. “The nature of the Premier League is changing and I think we need defenders that can play,” the United boss said after the Basel match.
We need defenders that can come into the midfield, bringing the ball, passing, because it’s becoming really defensive and we are going to face many teams with five in the back, plus two, three in front with blocks of defensive attitude. “And Victor, out of all our defenders, is probably the one with more quality when he attacks the space in midfield, so yes he is going to play midfield; he is going to play in the Premier League.”
