Rovers face Red Devils
Coach cautious as Manchester United meet Blackburn in FA Cup clash
FA Cup holders Manchester United will not be taking Sunday’s fifth-round clash against second-tier Blackburn Rovers lightly despite their heavy fixture schedule, according to manager Jose Mourinho.
In 2005, Mourinho’s Chelsea were knocked out of the FA Cup by Newcastle United in the same week as wins in the League Cup final over Liverpool and Champions League against Barcelona.
“Yes, I threw it away. In the same week was Champions League against Barcelona and the cup final against Liverpool and in the middle of it we had FA Cup against Newcastle and I threw it away, I gambled too much,” Mourinho told reporters.
Mourinho, whose side beat St Etienne 3-0 in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday, will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes for the game at Ewood Park as he tries to navigate through a hectic run of fixtures.
“I focused too much on Barcelona and Liverpool. It was good because we beat Barcelona and won the final against Liverpool. But the feeling that I threw it away was not good,” the Portuguese added.
“So I don’t throw it away. If I lose, I lose because the opponent was better,” Mourinho said.
United play the second leg against St Etienne on Wednesday before facing Southampton in the League Cup final on Sunday when Mourinho will be bidding to win his first major trophy at the club.
“I am not going to throw it away,” he said. “We go to Blackburn with that respect... So I go serious. I’m going with a good team and I respect the competition a lot.”
A significant run of cup ties has Mourinho worried about fixture congestion, but his chances of ending his first season at the club with a major trophy are looking healthy.
Mourinho’s side have won three successive matches without conceding a goal.
The United manager actually felt his team were a little too cheerful before Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League last-32 first-leg victory over Saint-Etienne, accusing them of being too relaxed during the warm-up.
United are in the midst of a glut of cup fixtures at the moment, with the final of the EFL Cup against Southampton to come at Wembley on February 26, and Mourinho is worried about the effect that may have on their Premier League form. “With the accumulation of FA Cup, League Cup and matches postponed, it is really hard for us,” the Portuguese handler said.
“If we progress in the competitions, we will be in trouble in April and May. But we cannot choose competitions, so we play to win.”
United won the FA Cup for the first time since 2004 by beating Crystal Palace in last season’s final, and their defence of the trophy has been untroubled so far, with two 4-0 home wins over Championship opponents, Reading and Wigan.
Mourinho is likely to make changes for the game, and does have injury concerns to contend with.