Manchester United's schedule a “poisoned gift”, says Jose Mourinho
Following their Europa League victory on Thursday against Zorya Luhansk, Manchester United's coach Jose Mourinho said that October's tight schedule is a “poisoned gift” for his team as it affects their Europa League chances. United will play five matches in 11 days starting October 18.
After losing their Europa League opener against Feyenoord two weeks ago, Manchester United got back to winning ways in Europe with a 1-0 win against Zorya Luhansk on Thursday as Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a late winner to secure a victory over the Ukrainians. But United boss Jose Mourinho looks worried ahead of their tight next month when United are set to play Liverpool, Fenerbahce, and Chelsea inside a week starting October 18. Speaking about the match against Liverpool, which will be played on October 18, Sunday, followed by the Europa League match against Fenerbahce on Wednesday, Mourinho said,
“Well, we could play Liverpool on Saturday, we could play Liverpool on Sunday. We play Liverpool on Monday. So maybe we don’t have the best conditions, especially because we play against two top Premier League games that don’t play in European competitions.”
Calling the jam-packed schedule as a “poisoned gift” for United chances in the Europa League, Mourinho said, “We had this kind of poisoned gift of playing on Monday. That creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try and qualify for the next round. We want to try. (There is a) long time to go, almost a month, but we want to try, so we will play against Fenerbahce with a team with possibilities to beat Fenerbahce.”
Asked whether he had tried to get the Liverpool match to be played earlier, Mourinho said, “I think it is impossible. The poisoned gift is already there, so what can you do? We just have to play Monday, and then Thursday, and then Stamford Bridge on Sunday.”
Speaking about Sunday's match against Stoke City, Jose told that the visiting side are not to be taken lightly despite the fact that the Potters are languishing towards the bottom of the points table.
“But before that we have Stoke (this Sunday), so let us concentrate on Stoke because it is another poisoned gift because Stoke is not what the table says. The manager is very good, the players are good, the team is good, so when I look at the table, that’s not Stoke’s position. I play against a good Stoke and not the Stoke is in that position in the table.”
Mourinho also praised Wayne Rooney’s impact after coming off the bench for a second successive match. The England international came off the bench in the 67th minute and produced a vital assist for Ibrahimovic's winner.
“He(Rooney) was laughing and saying he made a great assist,” Mourinho told the reporters about Rooney.
“But, really, he gave me what the team needs at that time, which is a presence, a second presence in the box. He is more a striker than Juan (Mata) and Juan went more to the right side. (Anthony) Martial brought, after the goal, freshness and speed, also to try to kill the game, which we didn’t but he was a positive presence, too,” Mourinho added.
Mourinho also praised United's bench strength going into Thursday's match against Zorya Luhansk.
“We started the game with a very good team and I had on the bench also players to give me solutions for everything. We have proof to win matches in the Europa League that we need to be good, we need to play seriously because they are good teams,” reported The Guardian.
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