Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes he’s a victim of his own success as boss hits back at critics
Red Devils have come under fire in recent weeks after putting in some dull defensive performances due to their injury woes
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MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho says he is the victim of his own success.
The Special One has come in for criticism for the way his team played in a goalless draw at Anfield last weekend and in the 1-0 win at Benfica on Wednesday in the Champions League.
And Mourinho said: “It’s my fault, because people are used to my teams getting good results and winning titles.
“Other people have different standards. That’s not a problem for me. We are going to lose matches and I can imagine we are going to have more criticism than we have now. But no problem.”
United are yet to lose with ten wins and two draws from their 12 games in three different competitions and nine clean sheets along the way.
They also scored four goals in four out of their previous five matches before the trip to Liverpool.
So you can understand if, ahead of today’s game at Huddersfield, Mourinho was keen to defend his record.
He said: “We work hard. Regarding the Champions League, I would like to know — because I don’t — when United last won two consecutive matches away.
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“I would like to know the last time United won nine points from the first three matches in the Champions League. We are doing OK.
“If a team defends badly, concedes five goals but attacks phenomenally and scores six, that’s absolutely beautiful and amazing.
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“I know my team cannot score four, five or six every match. We have to try to find balances and I’m happy with what the team is doing. Critics — no problem.”
Mourinho also caused a stir this week when he attacked managers who ‘cry’ about injuries. It was seen as a dig at Antonio Conte, who responded by claiming Mourinho had an obsession about Chelsea. Not so according to their former boss.
He said: “I don’t speak to him. I don’t know why he speaks to me. That’s no problem. I know what I said after the match.
“There are managers all over the world, they prefer to speak about injuries, prefer to try to find excuses based on injuries. Since last season we had big injuries. Our philosophy is not to moan, not to cry.”
Mourinho admits he does like to have a good moan about other issues in the game, though.
He said: “I moan and cry about other things. I moan about the fixtures, about no time to rest, about why I don’t understand why we play Saturday after Wednesday when we should play Sunday.”
There are a number of names on the injury list but Marcus Rashford is fit for today’s match after suffering a knee problem on Wednesday.
Eric Bailly has missed the last two games with a groin injury but will be fit for the visit of Tottenham next week.
Mourinho also believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be ready to play before the end of the year but could not give a timescale for Paul Pogba, who has a hamstring strain.
