JOSE TAKES CLOSER LUK
Fifteen fans were injured after being hit by a car driven by two-time world champion Carlos Sainz at the Network Q Rally of Great Britain.
West Brom striker Lee
Hughes was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He was later convicted and jailed.
Harry Redknapp resigned as manager of Portsmouth after his managerial style was compromised by the appointment of Velimir Zajec as executive director.
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel claimed a record-equalling ninth successive Formula One race win with victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Marco Mattiacci was sacked as Ferrari team principal after just seven months in the job. JOSE MOURINHO went on a mercy mission to Belgium to try to solve Romelu Lukaku’s alarming loss of form.
The striker has failed to score in his last 10 games for Manchester United and struggled to repeat the heroics of his debut season, when he racked up 27 goals.
He has four goals from 15 games for United in all competitions this season and is not certain to lead their attack for today’s visit by Crystal Palace to Old Trafford.
During the international break, Mourinho travelled to Belgium to watch Lukaku play in their Nations League tie with Iceland, to try to get to the bottom of the 25-year-old’s goal drought.
Lukaku did not feature in that game and pulled out of Belgium’s next match, a 5-2 defeat against Switzerland, after feeling tightness in his hamstring.
But Mourinhio revealed the reason for his trip to Brussels, saying he was invited over by Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, whose counsel he sought over Lukaku’s injury and confidence worries.
“As I told the Belgian press, I went for the weather,” joked Mourinho. “Beautiful fog, something I don’t have here.
“I went there, fundamentally, to be with Lukaku, to feel him, to see his situation and his injury. Roberto invited me to meet him, which I decided not to do, because I don’t like to disturb people before matches.
“But I was with Roberto on the phone, trying to feel, trying to understand the problem and the evolution of the problem and, of course, I like to watch football.
“I was in London within couple of hours by train, so it was easy to go.”
The United boss dropped Lukaku for their 2-1 win over
Everton last month because the striker was short of confidence and wanted to ease the pressure on him.
Lukaku also missed away wins at Bournemouth and
Juventus, but came on in United’s 3-1 derby defeat at
Manchester City, winning a penalty converted by Anthony Martial.
Mourinho also said he does not believe Alexis Sanchez will leave United in January, despite the forward’s supposed disillusionment at the club after less than a year.
“I don’t think so, because he never told me that he wants to leave or isn’t happy to stay,” he added.
“But I repeat – that is a personal a thing related to my philosophy.” Asked how he felt Sanchez was playing, Mourinho said: “Like the team. He’s improving, like the team is improving and when he plays he’s giving us his personality, his desire to play and to produce for the team.
“He’s trying to adapt to how we play and vice versa. Can he do better? I think we can all do better. I can do better, he can do better and all the other players can also do better.”
Mourinho also accused former Real Madrid and Spain star Iker Casillas of trying to undermine United keeper David De Gea (left) so he can earn a recall for Spain and add to his record 167 caps.
The United boss was asked how De Gea has been affected by criticism in his native Spain and made it clear he felt Porto keeper Casillas – who he fell out with at Real – was behind it.
“But why criticism in Spain? Do you know?” said Mourinho. “I know, because there is somebody very powerful thinking about jumping again.
“But it’s very difficult when you have the best goalkeeper in the world in front of you.”