Not enough heart: Jose

JOSE MOURINHO accused his Manchester United players of lacking heart after their hopes of a push for the Premier League’s top four were dented by a lethargic 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace yesterday.

Mourinho’s side were booed at the end of a match that left them seventh in the table, well adrift of the Champions League qualification positions.

Mourinho had been hopeful a strong showing would help to build the momentum that could carry them back into the top four before 2019 begins.

Instead, he was left to warn his players that a similarly lethargic showing at home to Swiss side Young Boys tomorrow could leave United struggling to progress from this season’s Champions League group stages.

“If we play with the same philosophy against Young Boys, then we won’t win and we will have to go to Valencia (in the final Champions League group game) and win there,” he said.

“There are games that are special games and not just one more match. This was a special game, the first of eight Premier League games before the end of December and one we needed to win.

“There was not enough from the heart. You must play with brain and also with heart and I think there was not enough heart.

“Crystal Palace deserve credit, but we should also blame ourselves for the result… There was not enough intensity, enough desire”

United’s performance led Mourinho to question whether his players would be as disappointed as him about the result.

“There are people that will have a bad dinner, there are people who will have a nice dinner and there are people who will have a party,” he said. – AFP