There was a weird moment in injury time when Juan Mata, himself a 63rd-minute substitute, was replaced by Mkhitaryan, to the Spaniard’s apparent displeasure.
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Manchester United manager José Mourinho on Sunday hailed France midfielder Paul Pogba’s imminent arrival from Juventus, describing the move as “amazing”. “I wouldn’t be ambitious if I said it was a fantastic performance”.
“The rules allow six changes, I had made five and I wanted to stop the game. I have to take the smallest player off because the game will end in long balls”. Mata is the smallest one.
“It is a very stupid motivation but, if you look in a different perspective, it is what we have to do”.
“Forty points is the target, then we will see how many months less to the end of the season”.
Leicester levelled when Jamie Vardy pounced on a weak Marouane Fellaini back-pass but it would be Ibrahimovic’s day as his 83rd-minute header gave Mourinho his first silverware as United boss. Mourinho paid tribute to his former boss Louis van Gaal.
Jesse Lingard’s winning goal in the FA Cup final was a spectacular effort and his contribution to getting the Mourinho era up and running was even better.
The men from west London finished 10th in 2015/16, but the 11/2 (6.50) quote from bet365 for Chelsea to win the title is indicative that the odds compilers expect much more from the Blues this time around.
Mourinho believes there is still a lot of improvement in his side ahead of their opening league fixture at Bournemouth on Sunday. Jose Mourinho takes it out on a player he doesn’t like. I have to confess because it is an impossible ambition.
“But our desire to do well and work and improve [is our biggest strength]. In this moment, we are not a super team, but we are a team with a super desire”.
“It feels good”, Ibrahimovic told BT Sport.
“When you can win it is even more unbelievable but all the credit to Leicester as well, because they played a good game and they had a fantastic last season”. “I’ve been here a couple of weeks and I get to win my first trophy with United”.
“They brought an intensity to the game which was hard for us to cope with”, he added.
“I dedicate it to him and to my seven players who were not involved. We are a team and they understand that”.
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“There’s something big going on with our team, we’re only at the beginning but it is a good start”, Ibrahimovic explained after the game.
