The Manchester United manager took Mata off in the dying minutes of the team’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the Community Shield game on Sunday, having subbed him into the game less than 30 minutes earlier.
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Leicester city will begin the defense of their Premier League title against newly promoted and now manager-less – Hull on Saturday and the Black Stars defender Amartey, will have to fight on to secure a place back in the team.
Jose Mourinho paid tribute to his predecessor Louis van Gaal after securing his first trophy as Manchester United manager in the Community Shield.
United’s first game of the season is at Bournemouth on Sunday.
Ibrahimovic believes he will only get better for Manchester United. “I know the player he is, but you always have a question mark when a player comes to a new level”, Mourinho told BT Sport.
The Swede, who signed for United on a one-season contract after leaving French champions PSG, says United are a bigger club than Barcelona. After we conceded the second goal, then we still had a very good chance just before the end of the game. It is probably the biggest club I played in. “Without him, I would not be here celebrating because he won the FA Cup, which allows me to have one more trophy”.
Mourinho put his arm around Mata when the Spaniard came off three minutes before the final whistle but the former Valencia player looked unimpressed. He gave me exactly what I needed. That’s what it is all about – it is the 31st trophy I’ve won. “With our team, something big is going on but we are at the beginning and we have started with a high”.
“We talk a lot, obviously more with the hands because I don’t speak French, but a little bit of English”, he added. You can do what you want on the pitch.
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“I feel very good”.
