Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney looks dejected during the English Premier League soccer match between Watford and Manchester United at Vicarage Road in London.
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José Mourinho admitted some of his players are unable to cope with the pressure of playing for Manchester United at the moment and also stressed how they need to learn from their defensive mistakes after his side slumped to a third successive defeat on an afternoon that ended with the Portuguese once again criticising the match officials.
It was as much the shapeless performance as the reverse that will trouble Mourinho, who last lost three competitive games in regulation time in 2006.
Marcus Rashford equalised in the 62nd minute with United’s first shot on target but Watford responded as substitute Camilo Zuniga fired them back in front having just come off the bench.
But after Hornets sub Juan Zuniga restored the home side’s lead after 83 minutes – 53 seconds after entering the fray – and Troy Deeney clinched the points from the spot in stoppage time, United were a team in disarray. “Not at all. I was completely aware that we were not ideal, with lots of players who are not end products and can make their own mistakes”.
He claimed Miguel Britos fouled Anthony Martial in the build-up to Etienne Capoue’s opening goal.
Elsewhere, Southampton moved out of the bottom three after Charlie Austin’s second-half volley secured a 1-0 win over Swansea City.
It is the first time Mourinho has lost three games in a row as a manager since August 2006, when he was in his first spell at Chelsea, but he eventually sounded a philosophical tone.
“I think in the first half for about 25, 30 minutes we didn’t play well and that is something we can improve”, United manager Mourinho said. While United’s neighbor has made a ideal start, Mourinho is discovering just how challenging it will be to restore the team to the Champions League by finishing in the top four.
United are already lagging six points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City and the feel-good factor following the three wins that marked the start of the Mourinho era has been completely erased.
Asked whether Martial was concussed, Mourinho responded: “I don’t know”. We have to improve, individually and collectively, that is my job. However their terrible performance against Feyenoord – yes, the winning goal was offside, but they looked awful – raised red flags and they looked even worse on Sunday as Watford downed the Red Devils, 3-1.
“I knew I had a task”.
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The breakthrough came at the other end in the 34th minute when Martial – who had previously received a nasty knock to the head – was dispossessed by Miguel Britos in a risky area, with referee Michael Oliver ignoring United claims for a foul. We were showing complete control, intensity, creation.
