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Tag: Manchester United

  • Pogba criticises Man Utd attitude in first defeat at Brighton

    Manchester United did not show the right attitude in their surprise Premier League defeat at Brighton, says captain Paul Pogba.

    The Seagulls, who beat Jose Mourinho’s side at the Amex Stadium in May to retain their top-flight status, stunned their visitors by scoring three goals in the first half.

    Glenn Murray flicked in the opener before Shane Duffy stroked home two minutes later.

    Romelu Lukaku halved the deficit 11 minutes before the break, rising unmarked to nod in Luke Shaw’s ball, but Pascal Gross converted a penalty after a foul by Eric Bailly.

    Pogba also scored from the spot – deep in second-half stoppage time – but it was not enough to deny Brighton a famous win.

    “The attitude that we had was not like we wanted to beat them. They had more anger than us and that showed on the pitch,” Pogba told Sky Sports.

    “I put myself first. My attitude wasn’t right enough. We’ll keep trying and keep pushing and obviously it’s a lesson for us.”

    Mourinho said he would not blame individuals, despite admitting his side made “incredible mistakes”.

    The Portuguese has previously singled out players for criticism if he felt they performed below expectations but said his side were not good enough as a collective against Brighton.

    “We were punished by the mistakes we made,” he said. “For me that’s the story of the game.

    “We made incredible mistakes in some crucial moments. Mistakes that killed us.”

    BBC

  • I don’t have problem with Pogba – Jose Mourinho

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he “couldn’t be happier” with Paul Pogba after the France midfielder suggested he was dissatisfied with life at Old Trafford.

    The World Cup winner, 25, fell out of favour last season and this summer has been linked with a move to Barcelona.

    Mourinho said: “He’s playing well, he does for the fans, he does for the team and that’s what I want.

    “I cannot demand more from him, I cannot ask more from him.”

    Pogba started in the season opener against Leicester last Friday, scoring in the 2-1 win.

    The former Juventus player said afterwards: “If you’re not happy, you cannot give your best. There are things I cannot say otherwise I will get fined.”

    But Mourinho said: “The truth is we are together for two years and a couple of weeks, and I’ve never been so happy with him as I am now.

    “We never had a hard – I don’t know how you like to say – exchange of words. Everything is respected. I have no problems at all.”

    Meanwhile, the United manager said Italy full-back Matteo Darmian was likely to remain at Old Trafford. The 28-year-old had been given permission to find a new club, and was a tipped for a return to Serie A.

    The Portuguese manager said: “I don’t think he will go. He cannot have any bad feelings towards us, because we opened the door for him in case his desire was to go, but it looks like it’s not going to end in a transfer and for me it is good news.

    “For me it’s good news that Matteo is staying.”

    BBC

  • EPL: Call me head coach, not a manager – Mourinho

    Jose Mourinho said he should probably be called a “head coach” rather than a “manager” after Manchester United beat Leicester City 2-1 without the playing personnel he expected.

    Mourinho claimed he needed “six changes, not three” in Friday night’s Premier League opener at Old Trafford due to several of his first-team regulars missing much of their pre-season following the World Cup.

    Goals from Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw ensured victory over a team which Mourinho pointed out had “invested more than us”.

    “In the Premier League, we must get used to playing teams with the same quality we have,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “Forget the name, forget the history, forget the shirts. Every team is a good team.”

    Mourinho gave United’s hierarchy a list of players he wanted to sign before the window closed on Thursday, but the deadline passed without any further additions.

    Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire, Yerry Mina, Jerome Boateng and Diego Godin were all identified as centre-back targets.

    Asked if there was a problem with United’s board not agreeing with the names put forward, Mourinho said: “That’s football management.

    “Football is changing. Probably football managers should be called more head coaches. We have big multi-functional coaching staffs and I think we are more the head coach than the manager.”

    Mourinho claimed he told his players to “give me what you have” ahead of their first league fixture, with players including Marouane Fellaini saying he could contribute only 10 minutes of game time.

    He added: “I had my plans for many months and I find myself in the beginning of the Premier League, with the market closed, I find myself in a situation which I did not think I was going to be in.

    “I think it will be the last time I speak about it. It’s finished, the market is closed and no more talk about it.”

     

  • Leicester City didn’t deserve defeat to Man United – Puel

    Leicester City manager, Claude Puel, has heaped plaudits on his team despite their 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at the Old Trafford on Friday even as he expressed disappointment with the outcome of the game.

    Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw were on target for United, while substitute Jamie Vardy netted the visitors only goal of the game.

    “It’s disappointing for the players because they gave their best,” Puel stated after the game.

    “Of course, to concede a goal just a couple of seconds after the beginning of the game is a shame and we have to correct this.

    “Our kick-off was not good enough. Our first-half was a good performance with good quality, good pressing, good play forward and a lot of chances. We needed to score in this moment, a strong period of domination in the first-half.

    “We pushed and we played against a team who were deep on the pitch. Without space, it was difficult.

    “We found success with good moves and good quality and perhaps in the second-half we had good energy to finish this performance for another result but I think at the end it is a disappointment. It is not, for me, a fair result.”

  • If we don’t make our team better, it will be a difficult season – Mourinho

    If we don’t make our team better, it will be a difficult season – Mourinho

    Manchester United face a “difficult season” unless they strengthen their squad before Thursday’s transfer deadline, says manager Jose Mourinho.

    The Red Devils ended their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 defeat at German champions Bayern Munich on Sunday.

    Javi Martinez headed home a second-half winner to give Bayern victory in a match they dominated.

    “My CEO knows what I want and I still have a few days to wait and see what happens,” Mourinho said on MUTV.

    “The other clubs who compete with us are really strong and already have fantastic teams. Or they are investing massively like Liverpool, who are buying everything and everybody.

    “If we don’t make our team better it will be a difficult season for us.”

    United have so far signed three players this summer – Brazil midfielder Fred for £47m, Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot and third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant.

    They open the Premier League season against Leicester City at Old Trafford on Friday.

    Former chief executive Peter Kenyon said on Sunday he believes Mourinho needs to find a way of “working out” his issues with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

  • Man Utd goalkeeper joins Vitoria Setubal on loan

    Man Utd goalkeeper joins Vitoria Setubal on loan

    Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira has joined Portuguese club Vitoria Setubal on a season-long loan.

    Pereira, 22, was previously on loan in Portugal at Belenenses in 2016-17 before spending last season as third-choice United keeper behind David de Gea and Sergio Romero.

    United signed keeper Lee Grant from Stoke City earlier in the window.

    Pereira, whose contract runs to 2021, made one senior appearance last season in the EFL Cup.

  • EPL: Mourinho blames Martial for Manchester United’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool

    EPL: Mourinho blames Martial for Manchester United’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool

    Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho has criticised his winger, Anthony Martial for not returning to the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.

    Speaking after United were hammered 4-1 by rivals Liverpool in Michigan on Saturday night, the Portuguese made it clear that he is disappointed in Martial.

    Martial failed to return to US following the birth of his son.

    The French winger was given permission to fly from Los Angeles to Paris last week to witness the birth of his son with his girlfriend, Melanie Da Cruz.

    Mourinho said that he had “no right” to stop Martial from leaving United’s pre-season tour, though he had expected the 22-year-old to return much sooner.

    Martial’s son, Swan, was born on Thursday, and United played Liverpool in a pre-season friendly in Michigan on Saturday.

    The Red Devils were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool and Mourinho said afterwards that Martial should have re-joined the squad in time to play against Liverpool.

    He told MUTV, “Anthony Martial, he had the baby, and after the baby was born – beautiful baby, full of health, thank god – he should be here and he’s not here.

    “So we have Alexis [Sanchez] and [Juan] Mata to play every minute of every match. And now we have Real Madrid, and after that Bayern Munich.”

  • Alex Ferguson speaks publicly for first time after brain surgery

    Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson thanked medics for saving his life and said he felt humbled by the huge outpouring of sympathy in his first public comments since undergoing emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage in May, AFP reports.

    The 76-year-old Scot, who won 38 trophies in 26 years in charge at United, praised medical staff in a video message released by the club.

    Ferguson, who guided United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies, remained in intensive care for several days following the emergency surgery.

    “Hello. Just a quick message, first of all to thank the medical staff at Macclesfield, Salford Royal and Alexandra hospitals,” said a healthy-looking Ferguson, whose speech appeared to have been affected a little.

    “Believe me, without those people, who gave me such great care, I would not be sitting here today. So thank you from me and my family, thank you very much.”

    Ferguson, who stepped down after winning his 13th Premier League title in 2013, said both the care he received and the global reaction to his predicament had touched him deeply.

    “It’s made me feel so humble, as have all the messages I’ve received from all over the world, wishing me the best,” he said.

    “And the good wishes do resonate very, very strongly with me. So thank you for that support you’ve given me.”

    Ferguson ended the message by saying he would be back at Old Trafford to watch United, now managed by Jose Mourinho.

    “Lastly, I’ll be back later in the season to watch the team,” said Ferguson. “In the meantime, all the best to Jose and the players. Thank you very much.”

  • It will be difficult for Man Utd to win the Premier League – Scholes

    Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes his former side face a tough task to win their 21st top-flight crown and that Mourinho is not in the right frame of mind.

    “Every year when United don’t win something, it’s a disaster,” the 43-year-old, who won 11 league titles at Old Trafford, told Bein Sports.

    “He’s obviously got to try to win the league, but there’s so many good teams now, it’s going to be difficult.

    “He doesn’t look happy to me. It’s a team that grind out results rather than really impress you and that’s probably what he’s happy with. That’s where he’s been at his best over the years.

    “I think he’s got every resource available to him to have a team to win the league. That’s what the fans expect and what I’m sure his bosses above him expect.”

    Scholes is currently co-owner of Salford City and a television pundit for BT Sport.

  • Mata scores as Man Utd draw against Mexican side on US tour

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said Thursday’s 1-1 pre-season draw with Club America in Arizona “pushed us to levels we are not prepared for”.

    United had to come from behind against the Mexican side as Juan Mata’s 78th-minute strike cancelled out Henry Martin’s opener on 59 minutes.

    The Premier League side were without many key players after the World Cup.

    Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and English duo Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford were among those missing.

    David de Gea, Nemanja Matic and new Brazilian signing Fred are expected to join the team next week.

    Alexis Sanchez is also due to join the team shortly in the United States after resolving his visa issues.

    The Chile forward, who accepted a 16-month suspended jail sentence in February for tax fraud, missed the start of the tour as he was unable to get a US visa.

    Both sides had to contend with hot conditions as temperatures reached 40C, and Mourinho told MUTV: “They were a team with intensity and quality so it was a good training session for us.”

    BBC