YORKE HITS OUT AT JOSE
MANCHESTER United ambassador Dwight Yorke has launched a stinging attack on the club’s style of play under Jose Mourinho, and claimed they would win the title with Pep Guardiola.
Mourinho insisted before tonight’s trip to Brighton that he has no problem with David De Gea being United’s Player of the Year for the fourth time in five seasons — despite admitting last year that ‘something is wrong’ if the goalkeeper gets the award.
Yorke, a key member of the swashbuckling Treble winners of 1999 who now works as a club ambassador and ‘legend’, compared Mourinho unfavourably to Manchester City boss Guardiola and claimed he is not being true to United’s attacking traditions.
‘Look on the blue half of Manchester,’ said Yorke. ‘Don’t tell me those players are so far superior to the players we have.
‘You look at Anthony Martial, you look at (Marcus) Rashford, (Jesse) Lingard, you look at (Alexis) Sanchez, (Romelu) Lukaku. We’ve got a very strong attacking line-up.
‘The difference is they’ve got a manager who thinks positive and plays attacking football.
‘On the other hand, on the red side, we have a manager who wants to win 1-0 and be defensive, that is simply the difference.
‘I could recall the likes of Liverpool, where we were on top form and we went there and recorded one shot in the whole game. That’s not Man United.
‘United are waiting for that one moment to secure a 1-0 advantage. We don’t play like that.’ Asked by radio station Dubai Eye 103.8 if United would win the league and score 100 goals like City with Guardiola in charge, he added: ‘I think they would definitely win the league because he’s on the front foot. He’s playing attacking football.’
De Gea claimed earlier this week that United have no excuses for their failings this season, even if they win the FA Cup, and the Spain goalkeeper’s latest award has given more ammunition to the critics who think they are too defensive.
But yesterday Mourinho said: ‘David is having a very good season so I don’t see it as a problem. I feel good with it.
‘There were a few other players that it wouldn’t be a bad choice for them to get the award. But I think David was very consistent.’
Romelu Lukaku will miss tonight’s game as he receives treatment on an ankle injury in Antwerp, but the Belgium striker is expected to be fit for the FA Cup final on May 19.
Mourinho, who agreed that his long-serving No.2 Rui Faria would be a good fit for the managerial vacancy at Arsenal, remains hopeful that Marouane Fellaini will sign a new contract. ‘I’m still positive,’ said Mourinho. ‘In Marouane’s case, the destiny is in his hands.
‘Of course, the offer he has now on the table is a better offer than he had six or eight months ago. But if he leaves, so be it.’