Henrikh Mkhitaryan was probably left as open mouthed in amazement as Paul Pogba was, in witnessing his team-mate’s scorpion kick goal against Sunderland.
Just a few hours after providing fans with a late Christmas present (yes, of course, it was offside but it was given so let’s move on), Mhitaryan failed to make the list of the top 10 Armenian athletes for 2016.
Voted by the Federation of Sports Journalists of Armenia, the 2015-16 Bundesliga Player of the Year and most expensive footballer in his country’s history, was conspicuous by his absence among a host of successful Olympic Greco-Roman wrestlers, weightlifters and gymnasts.
Ruben Hayrapetyan, the president of the Football Federation of Armenia, even went as far as to brand it “immoral”. However, based on the small sample size Jose Mourinho has afforded us of the 27-year-old wearing red, Hayrapetyan shouldn’t have to worry too much about 2017.
In just four matches this month, Mkhitaryan has displayed exactly what he can offer Manchester United in the second half of the season and beyond.
After a remarkably effective scoring season for Shakhtar Donetsk in 2012-13 where he claimed 29 in 42 games in all competitions, he was taken to Borussia Dortmund by Jurgen Klopp but the German never seemed to really know what to do with him. He was Klopp’s starting No10 but in placing him as such a focal point of his attack, for all his coach’s fine man management, the weight of his club record ¤27.5 million transfer fee was a constant burden and the bright form he showed in his first season descended into anonymity with Mkhitaryan himself labelled his second campaign a “disaster”.
Happy to be back, and happy with that incredible goal!@HenrikhMkh talks to #MUTVHD... pic.twitter.com/UOwTqTsorb
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2016
It was Thomas Tuchel who unlocked the puzzle by instilling a sense of freedom and happiness in his game, playing a furious and involved attacking style where he was allowed to drift to the fight flank, and the weight of being Dortmund’s record signing was lifted and he played the best football of his career to date.
Jose Mourinho has never been one for imitation and his early work with Mkhitaryan has shown some alarming signs he was in danger of returning the Armenian to the insecurities he felt in his darkest days at Dortmund.
Everything Mourinho had done up to the start of this month was the polar opposite of Tuchel; his public admissions Mkhitaryan wasn’t physically or even mentally up to speed, affording him precious Premier League minutes and, overall, showing little faith. Yet the Portuguese is a manager who unmistakably gets results and whether it be accident or design he has a match-winner on his hands.
There was a symbolism to Mkhitaryan’s goal on Monday because it was assisted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede drifting to the right flank and then crossing with his team-mate doing the rest.
In two of his four seasons in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic was in the top three leading assist-makers. For much his late 20s and 30s on international duty with Sweden he was used as a No10. He’s a wonderfully creative player.
But up to now, Mourinho’s desire to have him primarily stationed as his furthest player forward has meant Ibrahimovic has too often been running onto the ball or with his back to goal and playing passes 180 degrees in the wrong direction.
Pogba, Juan Mata and Ander Herrara are all immensely gifted midfielders but they are not prone to breaking beyond the striker. Mkhitaryan does, especially after his season with Tuchel where 12 of his 13 goals in the Bundesliga in Europe were scored from inside the penalty area.
A fit and confident Mkhitaryan has a multi-layered effect; he gives United extra pace and dribbling in transition, is a selfless and diligent presser of possession in a defensive role, is a clever passer plus a strong finisher. All attributes that also allow Ibrahimovic to get involved more in the general build-up.
If the 35-year-old is afforded time and space to put his foot on the ball with runners to aim at, United’s attacking play can take on an extra dimension. Mkhitaryan’s spectacular finish against Sunderland was just one example but more should now follow and it may not be the last time we see Pogba left open-mouthed.
A little Christmas Magic today! Super happy for the win! 😊 @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/HHmfIemWey
— Henrikh Mkhitaryan (@HenrikhMkh) December 26, 2016
