It was United’s second consecutive defeat after Saturday’s painful loss to bitter rivals Manchester City in the Premier League and Mourinho will hope his decision to make eight changes against Feyenoord is rewarded with victory when they return to domestic action at Watford on Sunday.
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“To be honest, we didn’t play phenomenal matches in these two defeats but to lose both it’s a punishment for the team because I think we deserved more”.
Pogba, signed for a world-record fee of $116 million last month, was given more attacking license than in previous matches by being played alongside Ander Herrera and Morgan Schniederlin in midfield, but was a peripheral figure, especially in the first half.
“It was frustrating to watch (against Feyenoord). We were much more unsafe, we had our chances to equalise and who knows what could happen if we had equalised” said Mourinho after the game. “We were unlucky not to score”, he added. That’s not all though, existing players have a Money Back Special too, simply back either team to win before kick-off and get a free bet if they are losing at half time.
United travel to Vicarage Road on Sunday in need of a result to belay fears that their fledgling season is unravelling.
That was compounded last night as under-performing United started their Europa League campaign with a whimper, falling to a late 1-0 loss at Feyenoord.
Younes Kaboul and Sebastian Prodl also face late fitness tests, and Mazzarri said: “I don’t think (United’s confidence will be low). It is not a competition I want, it is not a competition the players want”.
“I think in that first half they won pretty much every second ball and they had aggression and determination far better than ours”. They looked completely believable as a good EPL side in a road win against West Ham last weekend, and the Hornets have definitely looked like they’re adapting well to the chaotic but effective stylings of their new manager, the energetic Italian Walter Mazzarri.
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The Untied boss admits the introductions were not expected to play with the “same intensity, sharpness, quick thinking” as Feyenoord’s team given their comparative lack of game-time, although that is not an excuse Paul Pogba can use.
