Jose Mourinho’s reluctant return to the Europa League ended in embarrassment as Tonny Vilhena fired Feyenoord to a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Group A opener on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
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Chris Smalling has also been handed a first league start of the season, whereas Watford have made just one adjustment from the side which started their 4-2 win over West Ham last time out.
The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marouane Fellaini started on the bench at Rotterdam’s De Kuip stadium, while captain Wayne Rooney did not even travel with the squad-all three have started United’s four Premier League games so far this term. I must give a huge compliment to the team for the fight that we had up to the last minute.
“I don’t want to go in that direction, I don’t want to personalise it”, he said.
“I know the situation is not a case of clicking your fingers and everything is ideal”.
The coach explained: “So I looked at this game, and you can say okay you changed eight players, but I played with a good team, I played with enough good players to win the match”.
“If you need other people to motivate you, I always feel that my job is, I am an extra source of motivation”. That is the normal nature of football players. I can not judge them only on one game.
“I know we play midday on Sunday, and in his moment it’s 9pm on Thursday, but we are professionals”. I am going to be ready when the manager wants me to play, ‘ the midfielder told MUTV.
“I don’t like to individualise too much”, Mourinho said when asked about Pogba.
“I know the situation is not a case of clicking your fingers and everything is ideal”, said the United manager.
“Some of the players were playing their first minutes of the season”. We were trying to win, they were trying not to lose. We didn’t have many chances against us and their goal was a clear offside – we were unfortunate with that. I will be ready when the manager wants me to play.
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“All I heard during the first half against United was Pogba screaming and shouting at his own players”, claims Kuyt, in comments appears in the Daily Mirror.
