STEELY MOURINHO

Matic says United manager dealing very well with the pressure amid sacking talk

MANCHESTER United manager Jose Mourinho has come under fire due to the side’s uncertain start to the season but midfielder Nemanja Matic says he is handling the pressure well.

After an unconvincing 2-1 win over Leicester City in their Premier League opener, United suffered back-to-back defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur, ramping up the pressure on the manager.

However, Matic said their 2-0 win at Burnley on Sunday showed Mourinho’s coaching qualities.

“I think he’s dealing very well with the pressure. That’s why he is here at Manchester United,” Matic told the club’s website.

“We knew they could make problems on long balls. That’s why Fellaini played close to our defence to collect those balls and I think this performance shows we know how to play football and we can still compete for the title.”

United travel to Watford on Sept 15 when league action resumes after the international break.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has reached a deal with the Spanish tax authorities to serve one year in prison in a tax evasion case, El Mundo newspaper reported yesterday.

Mourinho is unlikely to serve any time in jail under the deal because Spanish law states that a sentence of under two years for a first offence can be served on probation. The Spanish tax agency was not immediately available for comment.