Simon Brotherton: “Three league defeats in a row is nearly unthinkable for Jose Mourinho and has only happened once before in his managerial career, but he’ll need to find a better formula than the one used at Vicarage Road a week ago to avoid it happening this weekend”.
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Manchester United are unbeaten in seven home league games against Leicester, whose only win in their 18 most recent trips to Old Trafford came in January 1998 courtesy of a Tony Cottee victor.
Mourinho won his first four games in charge of United but the honeymoon period is over. “Both matches ended 1-1 last season, with the latter draw in May preceding Leicester’s title celebrations two days later when Spurs lost at Chelsea”. “It is something that is completely out of my control”. They can speak, they can write, they can criticise the work of other people, but I am a good man. Mourinho was the same with some of his Chelsea players during his second spell at Stamford Bridge. “We are a team – we are not Wayne Rooney, we are a team”, the 53-year-old coach said.
Jose Mourinho claims that England captain Wayne Rooney is being worn down by constant criticism of his performances.
‘Drinkwater signed a new contract and I think he doesn’t have a clause so if Manchester want him it is OK, ‘ Ranieri said. “And I am not blaming Sam (Allardyce), not at all”, said Jose. I’m blaming the people that, after England-Slovakia were, in my opinion, too strong with somebody that is a very important player in the history of English football, is the captain of England, is the record scorer of goals. We were speaking because we are civilised people and I don’t think the book will be in the gallery of the Shakespeares and so on and I prefer just not to comment.
“I think many times you – media and [football] Einsteins, you forget there are family and kids and parents and wives and girlfriends”.
But Mourinho cites the England reaction as the turning point for Rooney.
“I’ve had that my whole career”, Rooney said, “a little bit more of late, I think, but that’s football”. He has put a lot of trust in me and I am hopefully repaying him.
“Now there are big, big teams and my players must be very proud of this but maintain their way”.
Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel has overcome concussion but has a muscle strain which could delay his return.
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Mourinho said Anthony Martial will miss the Leicester game because of calf and ankle problems sustained in the 3-1 loss at Watford on Sunday.
