SLOW START TURNS HEAT ON ROWETT
GARY ROWETT is under pressure because of Stoke City’s stuttering campaign so far. The club’s hierarchy have targeted an immediate return to the top flight and believe they have a squad easily strong enough for automatic promotion.
But the Potters are 12th in the Championship and five points off the play-off places, although a midweek win over Derby took some of the heat off boss Rowett (left).
Stoke were able to keep England keeper Jack Butland and other big names following relegation from the Premier League.
Big earners Benik Afobe and Peter Crouch were on the bench in midweek. JOSE MOURINHO has admitted Manchester United’s players have left him in a state of “confusion” with their slow starts to matches.
Struggling United could find themselves 17 points adrift of leaders Manchester City by the time they kick off at Southampton tonight (boarding a plane to the south coast, above).
The Reds sit in seventh place, already out of the title race and seven points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea. They are in danger of missing out on a Champions League place.
Mourinho has repeatedly called on his players to begin games with more intensity and urgency, and has admitted their sluggish starts go against everything he tells them.
“In some matches, the way we start is not as intense, emotional and aggressive as the way I would like the team to start,” said Mourinho.
“Other times – against Young Boys, for example – we had that start where I imagine what the game could be if, after 10 minutes, the score is 2-0.
“Sometimes, it’s because of efficiency. We didn’t score the chances we had and, in this case, goals have a huge impact in the way the game goes.
“Young Boys wouldn’t have defended the way they did if, after 10 minutes, they were losing 2-0.
“Other times, it’s because of the way we approach the game and it makes me a little bit confused, because all the work is based on strong starts and being intense and aggressive from the beginning.”
Today’s visit to Southampton is the first of seven crucial Premier League games in December for United, with Mourinho admitting there is little margin for error, following last weekend’s 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace.
“I said that before Palace,” said Mourinho. “It was November, but for me it was the start of a period, and we lost two points when we needed points.
“Now we can focus on the Premier League. We want to improve our position in the table, we want to close the gap to the top four, we want to be smelling these positions.
“If not there, just behind there, and just smelling for the second part of the
LEICESTER CARDIFF
MAN UTD SOUTH’PTON FULHAM ARSENAL BURNLEY C PALACE CHELSEA WOLVES EVERTON TOTTENHAM WATFORD WEST HAM BRIGHTON HUDD’FIELD BOURNEM’TH LIVERPOOL NEWCASTLE MAN CITY
season.” United will be without Alexis Sanchez, after the forward was ruled out for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury picked up in training on Thursday.
Sanchez has endured a miserable time at United but Mourinho said he does not believe the 29-yearold’s much-heralded move from Arsenal was cursed.
“I don’t believe in curses,” said the Reds boss. “But speaking about Alexis – a frustrating season. It’s a season where he’s not playing a lot, where he had small injuries, where he now has a big injury.
“He scored a fantastically important goal against Newcastle and then, after that, had the opportunity to play two good matches against Juventus and Bournemouth.
“Good dynamics, good movement, good participation. Now a small injury in the national team, comes back, a big injury now. It was a very unlucky six months, and we expect the New Year brings better things for him.”
On the extent of Sanchez’s injury, he added: “No scans yet. But, from my experience, just the painful scream and the way it happened, I know it’s going to be for a long time.” took charge at Old Trafford. In the past, United raided Tottenham for high-profile signings like Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov. But Mourinho said there is no way United could take prized assets Harry Kane, Dele Alli or Christian Eriksen away now.
“Is Manchester United by its
BOSS TONY MOWBRAY HAS SIGNED A NEW LONG-TERM DEAL WITH BLACKBURN – STAYING UNTIL AT LEAST 2022