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Watford boss Mazzarri keen to have drink with Mourinho

Liverpool fans’ favourite Dirk Kuyt enjoyed putting one over Manchester United again as Feyenoord secured a memorable Europa League victory.

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The 54-year-old told reporters: “I have a very good relationship with Mourinho”. The thing that impressed me the most was the fact he was only young when he came into the side and he wanted to be the best player in the side.

Mazzarri coached Sampdoria and Napoli during Mourinho’s reign at Inter Milan and the Italian got hot under the collar when the Portuguese provocateur said of him that “a donkey can work hard but will never become a thoroughbred”. “Sometimes the press look at what happens in Italy; the same with Antonio Conte and Mourinho”, Mazzarri said.

Thursday’s game, when United played without him in a 4-3-3 formation, showed that the alternatives are not always more fruitful.

“We saw the opponents had time on the ball and to play, so that’s why we had some belief to do something”. At the beginning we did not know each other.

“In the second half, I think we matched that but we need to do that earlier to give ourselves a better platform to win the game”.

“In Italy we are not used to doing it, but it’s a attractive thing”.

The United manager conceded the mood in the squad was no longer quite so buoyant, but he is confident his players will put their recent struggles behind them this weekend.

Roberto Pereyra and Paul Pogba will also be on opposite sides on Sunday afternoon following their respective moves from Juventus in the summer. “They are very important”.

Mourinho had admitted beforehand that United risked embarrassment if they failed to approach the game with the right attitude, and that is what materialised.

“But Pogba is a champion. He is very complete as a player”. “Everything is new for him at the moment but with one play he can change the result”.

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Younes Kaboul faces a late fitness test, as does Sebastian Prodl, who replaced him as a substitute.

Luke Shaw