After victory in the Community Shield and the Portuguese’s first three Premier League matches at the helm, United fell to a 2-1 loss at home Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on Saturday.
Advertisement
“He played every game since the beginning of the season, he played also 90 minutes for England and he played 90 minutes last weekend”, Mourinho explained the situation of the 30-year-old captain.
Feyenoord’s breakthrough came amid controversial circumstances, however, as Nicolai Jorgensen appeared to be marginally offside when crossing for Vilhena to settle the tie at De Kuip.
The defeat means United have lost four successive European away games in a row for the first time.
Memphis Depay came on in the second half.
There was little inspiration going forward, though.
How did a Rooney-less Man Utd play? But United were unable to muster a performance of worth, yet Mourinho was more intent on pointing the blame at the officials.
Former Caltex Socceroos goalkeeper Brad Jones kept a clean sheet for Dutch club Feyenoord as they stunned Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League on Friday morning (AEST).
United pushed late on for an equaliser but they found it impossible to break down some brilliant defending from the hosts who were more than deserving of their win as they showed more determination on the night for the win. “It is not one I want or the players want but it is a competition where we are and that is the reality”, Mourinho added.
With 10 minutes to go, United looked to find the equaliser but Jones did well to intercept a through-ball at the feet of Marcus Rojo and that proved to be the closest Mourinho’s troops got to scoring.
Mourinho dismissed the sweeping changes as reason for the defeat – “I played with enough good players to win the match”, he said – and was pleased by the players’ reaction to his half-time pep talk. “It was the first game for some”.
However, Mourinho said he would revert to a “normal team” for Sunday’s trip to Watford, with the likes of Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw set to return. He had a chance to change things when United won a free kick in a risky position in the 89th minute, but with plenty of targets to aim at in the box, his looping delivery sailed straight out for a goal kick.
It took until Ibrahimovic’s introduction halfway through the second half for the visitors to really threaten. “It was double unlucky because it was a clear offside [for Feyenoord’s goal]”.
Advertisement
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.
