Jose Mourinho pointed to mistakes by the referee and poor defending as reasons for Manchester United’s 3-1 loss at Watford. Some individuals feel the pressure too much.
Advertisement
“We have to improve, no doubt, individually and collectively”, Mourinho said. “And that’s my job”.
Substitute Juan Zuniga scored the vital goal with his second touch eight minutes from time on Sunday and Troy Deeney put the icing on the cake with a last-minute penalty.
The Frenchman was taken off just 38 minutes into Manchester United’s defeat at Watford earlier today.
“I know that he is a very good guy with a lot of ambition, so the form will come naturally and will come with the team”.
He said: “The referee’s and the linesman’s mistake is not under my control”.
Mourinho believes his team have been punished by a number of unfair refereeing decisions in their recent defeats, claiming they were also harshly treated against Watford.
But it was Capoue, so sharp in front of goal so far this season, who struck from Janmaat’s cross after Miguel Britos had robbed Martial of possession on the edge of the United box, a challenge which irked Mourinho, who wanted a free-kick awarded.
“That is not under my control”. “We lost again in our best moment”.
Thursday’s defeat to Feyenoord was the first United match Shaw has missed this season, having been rested rather than taken to Holland a year to the day since suffering a gruesome double leg break at PSV Eindhoven.
“When we equalised, everyone thought we were going to win because we were in complete control”.
Daley Blind should also get a recall after an excellent start to the season which could see Chris Smalling drop back to the bench after making his first start of the season in the Europa League.
United still had not been at the races but they were level just after the hour mark as Ibrahimovic’s cross was blocked into the feet of Rashford, who reacted quickly to flash home.
Man United’s best chance of the opening 22 minutes fell to Ibrahimovic after Marcus Rashford found the Swede with a low cross from the right, but the 34-year-old could only find the side netting from a narrowing angle.
Advertisement
But Watford’s relentlessly physical approach was wearing United down and Anthony Martial needed several minutes treatment after being pole-axed by a clash of heads with Daryl Janmaat. You don’t ask me about that if you think that nothing happened. [Heurelho] Gomes made a phenomenal save [from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic header].
