Mourinho slams flops as Spurs rock Utd
Players failing to follow instructions reason for defeat: manager
Jose Mourinho accused his Manchester United stars of failing to follow instructions after Christian Eriksen scored just 11 seconds into Tottenham’s 2-0 win at Wembley.
United boss Mourinho was furious with his side’s sloppy defending as they made a host of mistakes that allowed Eriksen to blast Tottenham ahead with the joint second-fastest goal in Premier League history.
Phil Jones allowed Harry Kane to win a header from the kickoff and, with the rest of the United defense caught flatfooted, Dele Alli pounced with a deft pass that Eriksen steered home from close range.
Adding insult to injury for Mourinho, Jones booted a Kieran Trippier cross into his own net midway through the first half to double Tottenham’s lead.
United’s first defeat in nine league games would have been even more painful had the hosts converted more of the numerous chances they created.
Mourinho had no doubt where the blame lay as he criticized his players for failing to follow the warnings he had given about Tottenham’s aggressive start to matches.
“I don’t think it is very normal to concede a goal like we did after 15 seconds,” he said. “It is especially ridiculous because the players, they watch it before, we analyze opponents and work on opponents’ dynamics and routines.
“The players they knew the long ball, they knew that Harry Kane, before the kickoff, is already inside the opponent’s half. We knew everything.
“Then we don’t press the ball: one mistake. We don’t pick the ball in the air: second mistake.
“We don’t win the second ball on the ground: third mistake. We don’t cover the inside when Eriksen comes: four mistakes.
“Four mistakes after 15 seconds and you are losing 1-0 against a good team.”
With second-placed United clinging to faint hopes of catching leaders Manchester City, it was a badly timed meltdown from Mourinho’s men.
They are now 15 points behind City and Mourinho admitted he harbors no hopes of catching Pep Guardiola’s side.
Instead, he will focus on ensuring United survive the fight to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-four finish.
“Yes the Premier League finishes for us at Old Trafford in May against Watford, but you knew the distance to the leader was already considerable even before this match,” he said.
“Now we have us, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal – we will be there fighting for the positions.”