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Mazzarri to offer old nemesis Mourinho a drink

Ander Herrera accepts playing Europa League football away from home on Thursday night is not ideal preparation for Sunday’s Premier League test at Watford but the midfielder thinks Manchester United will be up to the challenge at Vicarage Road.

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The two men had a complicated relationship during their time together in Serie A, with Mourinho, who served as Inter coach from 2008 to 2010, verbally assaulting the ex-Sampdoria and Napoli boss on more than one occasion.

He said of him that “a donkey can work hard but will never become a thoroughbred”, while Mazzarri dismissed him for talking “rubbish, so much rubbish”.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s side will want to bounce back from that defeat in an effort to catch up with Manchester City after their defeat to the Citizens last weekend. Sometimes the press looks at what happened before in Italy with Mourinho but that is normal because when you fight for a top position it’s normal sometimes it can happen. I don’t remember him saying that.

“But I have a good professional relationship with him; there’s professional respect”.

“We will try as we always do with great players but I also want to add: it’s very important to keep in my mind Manchester United are not just about Ibrahimovic”.

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“But, as I’ve told you before, we have a big squad”.

Watford manager Walter Mazzarri clashed with Jose Mourinho while the two worked in Italy