Reports: Jose Mourinho targeted two Manchester United players in Tottenham Hotspur's 6-1 rout

According to a report published by the English media, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho was the driving force behind his side's 6-1 thrashing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's hapless Manchester United side last week. The Portuguese manager used his in-depth knowledge of the Manchester United squad to good effect and moulded his team to exploit the Red Devils' weaknesses.

Manchester United have not enjoyed the best of starts to their Premier League campaign and also suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace in their first game of the season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his squad have been heavily criticised for failing to meet the expectations of a passionate fanbase.

5 - Jose Mourinho's Tottenham side have equalled the biggest ever margin of victory (6-1) for a manager vs a former club in the @PremierLeague and the biggest since Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool beat Swansea 5-0 in February 2013. Destroyed. pic.twitter.com/v0DDy0sUT0

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 4, 2020

The former Manchester United surprisingly instructed his players to target English wingers Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford. Mourinho reportedly ensured that his players used the space left behind by Manchester United's wide players and effectively wrested control of the game.

The Portuguese coach was unceremoniously sacked by Manchester United a few years ago after a disappointing spell at Old Trafford. Manchester United's pool of players has largely remained the same, however, and Jose Mourinho took full toll of the Red Devils' predictability last weekend.

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Jose Mourinho had plans in place for Manchester United defender Eric Bailly

Manchester United's defence struggled against Tottenham

The first ten minutes of the game were particularly eventful with Anthony Martial winning an early penalty for Manchester United. The infallible Bruno Fernandes stepped up to give the Red Devils a near-immediate lead.

Tanguy Ndombele and Heung-Min Son hit back within five minutes of Manchester United's goal as Tottenham scored twice to hand Joes Mourinho the lead. The game slipped away from Manchester United's hands after Anthony Martial received a red card before the half-hour mark.

The Spurs took full toll of Manchester United's misery in the hour that followed. Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane scored two goals apiece as Jose Mourinho's side tormented the Red Devils in their own backyard. Manchester United were forced to make defensive changes in the second half and did not stand a chance against the Spurs.

They laughed when he said it but Mourinho's comments on this Man Uyd squad in 2018 are aging well with time:"If I tell you, for example, that I consider one of the best jobs of my career was to finish second with Man Utd in the Premier League, you will say, 'this guy is crazy."

— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) October 4, 2020

Manchester United manager decided to field Eric Bailly instead of Victor Lindelof against Jose Mourinho's Spurs. The Portuguese manager already had a specific plan in place for Bailly and the likes of Harry Kane and Heung Min-Son benefitted immensely from Mourinho's tactical nous.

With Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood pushing up the pitch in search of a way to bring Manchester United back into the game, the likes of Serge Aurier and Sergio Reguilon dominated the final third and found plenty of space to make their mark. Aurier, in particular, was highly effective and also scored a goal himself in the second half.

Tottenham Hotspur had an excellent game

Tottenham Hotspur have grown into a formidable force under Jose Mourinho this season and have also reinforced their squad by adding Gareth Bale, Matt Doherty, and Sergio Reguilon to their ranks.

Manchester United have also enjoyed a fruitful transfer market with the acquisitions of Alex Telles and Edinson Cavani but have plenty of work to do to remain competitive in the Premier League this season.

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