Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has given a glowing assessment of Aleksandr Golovin’s performance for Russia in their 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the opening game of the World Cup today.
The 22-year-old scored and picked up two assists in a hugely influential display to show why he’s so highly regarded as one of the top young players in the game.
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United fans were certainly thrilled with what they saw from Golovin, and it seems Mourinho, at the World Cup on punditry duty, was also impressed with the way he changed the game.
The Portuguese tactician could perhaps do with a playmaker like the Russian in his squad, with his side lacking the spark in some big games last season as they failed to really challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title, whilst also being dumped out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage to Sevilla.
The Sun recently claimed Mourinho was interested in Golovin and watched him in a recent friendly, and fans could have reason to be excited as he analysed his performance against Saudi Arabia.
‘I think Alan Dzagoev was playing quite well but when he came out (injured), the fact that Golovin could go to a more central position, I think it helped the team,’ Mourinho told RT, as quoted by the Metro.
‘The team became better. Golovin is a playmaker, he’s a player that gives the dynamic of the team.
‘Denis Cheryshev is a fast boy on the wing, more of a winger than Golovin, stretch the game more than Golovin, so I think the change worked perfectly.’