He was giving me and the lads three days off!
MATIC ‘REVEALS’ WHAT THAT NOTE FROM JOSE REALLY SAID...
MANCHESTER United midfielder Nemanja Matic has ‘revealed’ what Jose Mourinho wrote to him in a mid-game note against Chelsea.
When Eric Bailly came on as a substitute in the latter stages of Sunday’s 2-1 win, he handed the Serb a note from manager Mourinho, which Chelsea’s Willian tried to sneakily read.
Matic posted a picture of a note on Instagram yesterday which read ‘You have 3 days off.’
We can guess the United midfielder was having a bit of fun — unless Mourinho is in the habit of signing off his tactical instructions with a smiley face.
However, the United players were given yesterday off to rest and recuperate, so perhaps the note may be genuine after all.
Romelu Lukaku was man of the match against Chelsea, and the striker believes he deserves ‘a bit more respect’ after scoring the equaliser against his old club and crossing for Jesse Lingard to head the winner.
Many had expected him to rejoin Chelsea in the summer, only for Mourinho to swoop and sign him from Everton for an initial £75million.
Lukaku has scored 22 goals this season but his strike against Chelsea was his first United goal against another side in the Premier League top six. ‘That’s the situation around me,’ Lukaku said. ‘I just need to keep working hard. I think I have a nice record. I’ve scored a lot this season and I just want to keep going. I want to improve and really work hard.
‘I want to win trophies. We are still in the fight in two competitions. It’s not going to be easy but it’s a nice challenge.’
The 24-year-old Belgian added: ‘I started playing when I was 16. Year in, year out people expect 20 goals from me. I’ve been doing it for 10 years straight, so I think I’ve proved myself. You expect a bit more respect but it’s the situation we’re in. I don’t listen to it. I just want to improve and show the people what I can do on the pitch.’
Lukaku is two goals away from becoming the 28th player to score 100 Premier League goals.
He said: ‘As long as I lead my team to winning that’s when I will be really satisfied. As a football player, I don’t play for the individual.
‘The road is still far ahead, but I’m ambitious and I’ll work every day for my team to win — I’m not thinking about myself.’
Meanwhile, United are keeping tabs on Real Sociedad right back Alvaro Odriozola.
The 22-year-old has also been closely monitored by Real Madrid and Barcelona over the past year.
A United scout watched the young Basque play for Sociedad at Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League last Thursday.
Odriozola had scored in the first leg but, though he gave a competent performance in the return game in Austria, he was unable to prevent Sociedad going out 4-3 on aggregate.
He has been capped twice by Spain and Sociedad are understood to value him at around £18m after Madrid expressed interest in January.