Mourinho takes bash at Blues
United manager slams Chelsea for lack of style
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has berated his former club Chelsea, accusing the Premier League leader of lacking style.
United cruised to a 3-0 victory at Leicester on Sunday, and afterward Mourinho attempted to contrast his side’s performance with what he perceives as the more prosaic efforts of Antonio Conte’s Blues, who, even by their harshest critics’ standards, dismantled Arsenal with a fair degree of panache on Saturday.
Frustrated by criticism of the cautious nature of his teams when he was in charge at Chelsea, Mourinho is unimpressed by the way the Blues, who are nine points clear at the top, and also Tottenham and Liverpool, have been praised.
“My team is playing very well but for many years in my career, especially in this country, when my teams were ruthless and phenomenal defensively, I listened week after week to people saying that was not enough, despite winning the title three times,” Mourinho said.
“This season it seems being strong defensively and good on the counter is art. That is a big change in England.
“We are Manchester United, we want to play attacking football. This is the way the fans want us to play.
“But I don’t want to be a manager of a team that doesn’t win matches. We have to score goals. Today we did and that made the difference. Today was very important.”
Typically mischievous, M our in ho even referenced his demise as Chelsea boss last season, which followed a loss at Leicester.
“The last time I was in this chair I was sacked a day later,” the Portuguese said with a smirk before ending his postmatch media conference at King Power Stadium.
Mourinho’s buoyant outlook was in contrast to his sulky demeanor following last week’s draw with Hull.
The key to his mood swing was Henrikh Mkhitaryan, United’s Armenian midfielder who tormented the Foxes with his subtle passing and clever movement.
Shattered morale
Mkhitaryan netted United’s opener and set up the third for Juan Mata after Zlatan Ibrahimovic doubled the visitor’s lead.
Mourinho acknowledged the first goal was crucial as it boosted his team’s belief and shattered relegation-threatned Leicester’s already fragile morale.
“We missed the first big chance but scored the next one. That is the story of the game,” he said.
“We didn’t play better than in many other matches. We were solid but we scored goals.
“It makes all the difference because in the second half you are in emotional and tactical control.
“You kill the emotion of the opponent and the whole game looks different.”
Having left Mkhitaryan out at the start of the season, Mourinho is now convinced his summer signing from Borussia Dortmund has adapted to the Premier League.
“If a player isn’t playing sometimes it can seem the manager is disturbing them, but that is not true,” he said.
“Sometimes the best way to protect the player is not to play him. Henrikh is one of these cases, you see the magic things he does.”
Meanwhile, Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri said he still has the backing of his players after a fourth straight loss left the Foxes one point above the drop zone.
Reports have suggested the Italian has lost support in the troubled champion’s dressing room, but he claimed his team is willing to pull together to battle relegation.
“Everybody is frustrated. Of course we aren’ t happy, we are very sad,” Ranieri said.
“I have said if the players don’t want me they can go to the owner, but they have not.
“We are together, solid like last season, but without the results. That is the hard thing.
“We will fight until the end. Leicester is a club used to fighting. I’m confident about this.”