Jose Mourinho reckons Juan Mata’s dangerous lunge on Jamie Vardy is nothing compared to challenges by Claudio Bravo and Oumar Niasse
Man Utd boss won't condemn star for sending the Leicester striker flying and says his team have been victimised all term
JOSE MOURINHO claims Juan Mata's chilling challenge on Jamie Vardy is nothing compared to other horror tackles - and insists Manchester United have been VICTIMISED all season.
The Old Trafford boss cited Manchester City keeper Claudio Bravo and Hull's on-loan striker Oumar Niasse as worse culprits.
Midfielder Mata earned just a yellow card for sending England striker Vardy flying with a sliding, studs-up tackle in the 28th minute of United's 3-0 away win on sunday
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And Mourinho said: "I have to look on TV but if I compare with what Bravo did in the Man City game and what Niasse did for Hull then there is no comparison.
"If we look at the whole season everything is going against us."
Impressive United playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan and 15-goal Zlatan Ibrahimovic both drilled home just before the break.
And Mata himself completed avictory cruise soon after the break following a return pass from Mkhitaryan.
Mourinho saluted a "really important " victory - and insisted Leicester will stay up, despite the reigning Premier League champions lying just a point above the drop zone.
He said: "I think we played like we normally play. We played well and tried to win.
They were a difficult team but that is something we are used too.
"We drew with Hull and beat Leicester. We are still in the same position but we are closer to the others so we keep fighting.
"It was really important for us. We lost two points in the last match at home and had three consecutive draws so we needed the points.
"I am happy. We don't have a league defeat since October and if we tried to transform the unlucky draws to victories, we would be in an amazing position."
