“But we are used to it because we are in the Europa League and the Europa League is the competition that creates more difficulties – we know that, Southampton know that, Tottenham will know that later”.
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“I think they [City] are an excellent team, the Premier League is a high-pressure league but they are exceptional”, mentioned Phelan at the pre-match presser. “I would also say that, as Louis and now Jose have found, managing Manchester United is a different animal from managing other clubs”. “He’ll be here again”.
Mourinho is set to choose from a largely fit squad and has been boosted by a full selection of centre-backs with Chris Smalling now back available to join Eric Bailly, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo in the United manager’s thoughts. “I like the result”. It was a good goal and important before half time to get a good feeling before going into the second half. I remember when I first met Sir Alex and he always said there was a chance Ronaldo might come back.
While Moyes never seemed to become accustomed to life as a United boss, Mourinho, who has guided United on a 10-game unbeaten run, insists he has been comfortable embracing the task of taking charge of one of the world’s biggest football teams.
“We have played well for a long time”. I don’t think a year ago was anything to do with ability.
That means Mourinho’s team will play three games in just over a week, which is not unusual for this time of year.
“Nevertheless we are in pretty good shape as well”. However, we all know the famous words: “Football, bloody hell!”
Sunderland manager David Moyes: “I’m looking forward to it, going back there”.
“I was definitely unfairly treated”, Moyes said in his pre-match news conference. They will put up a good fight but Manchester City should be too strong for the Tigers.
“Up until 1-0 we had a good chance to get something out of the game but we gave away a awful second goal and the third was offside”.
And surely he’d have made a concerted effort to snare Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona, rather than dallying at the last minute and allowing the Spanish playmaker to join Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea instead.
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“Those two games [against Liverpool and Arsenal] were a test of us mentally, to see whether we’d go back into that disgusting rut we were in last season”.
