Thursday’s loss followed last Saturday’s 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester City, where Citizens chief Pep Guardiola got the upper hand against United manager Jose Mourinho in their first Premier League meeting.
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Thursday night football was never likely to agree with a club of Manchester United’s pedigree and so it proved as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat away at Feyenoord.
Each of Manchester United’s three Premier League wins at Vicarage Road have been by a single goal margin. “If we happen to win, after two days of being very happy it’s up to me to tell the players they immediately need to concentrate on the next game”, Guardian quoted Mazzari as saying.
“In the second half, I think our urgency was there but we need to start that in the first half”.
Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst was as proud as his counterpart was frustrated after upsetting the apple cart and defeating United. We didn’t have many chances against us and their goal was a clear offside – we were unfortunate with that.
“I think (the confidence) does take a little knock, but I think we can’t forget some of the chances we created”.
They have played 58 games without him in all competitions in that period, winning 28 (48 percent of games.) The forward made his United debut in 2004, with the most prolific season being in 2011-12 as he struck 34 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions. He may not start in this one but he certainly has the class to make an impact in any game.
Few would have expected such a reaction from Watford after falling 2-0 behind early on against West Ham, but Walter Mazzarri’s men showed plenty of fight and they look capable of contributing to the goals tally on home soil.
Mourinho said: “I think the game on Sunday will be an independent game”.
“We will try as we always do with great players but I also want to add: its very important to keep in my mind Manchester United are not just about Ibrahimovic”.
With all that in mind, Mourinho has therefore set his players a challenge to motivate themselves – although, to be fair, it sounds like a bit of a cop-out excuse as to why he hasn’t been getting the best out of them recently.
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Tonny Vilhena struck a 79th-minute victor as Feyenoord surprised United at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam in the opening match of both teams’ UEFA Europa League campaigns.
