Mourinho happy to accept a draw
I’M NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PLAYERS Game ended on a sour note with a spat on the touchline.
Jose Mourinho claimed his confidence in his Manchester United side remains intact despite seeing Stoke City end their perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-2 draw.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored twice for the Potters, becoming the first player to score against United in four games this season and making Stoke the first side to deny them maximum points on Saturday.
Mourinho saw poor defending for both of the Cameroon international’s goals cost his side a fourth successive victory at the start of the season, but he declared himself pleased with United’s position on top of the table, ahead of Manchester City on goal difference.
“It’s easy to feel it that some of the players were not with the sharpness and intensity and with the decision-making,” he said.
“I know after national teams there are no miracles or injuries or fatigue or lack of concentration and we had a little bit of everything.
“So I’m not disappointed with the players, I’m not critical with it, it’s just a natural consequence.
“Four matches, 10 points, top of the league, we are okay. We know that with the teams in the league they are difficult matches and every point is a point you have to fight hard for so I have exactly the same mentality and mood that I had after three matches and nine points, 10-0 in goals.
“A draw was a fair result. One team wanted to win, another team wanted to draw, but the team that wanted to draw fought hard for that.
“They defended a lot and it’s becoming quite trendy in the Premier League, this way of defending.
“But they did well and were physically very strong. They probably deserved the point.
“We tried to win in the last 20 minutes, that was clear, but we couldn’t and we can say we could score more goals and win, yes, but we could also not concede that second goal.”
Mourinho refused to criticise Phil Jones for giving Choupo-Moting a free header for Stoke’s equaliser, and played down a spat with opposite number Mark Hughes.
Former United striker Hughes pushed Mourinho during the game when he entered the Stoke technical area and Mourinho refused to shake his opposite number’s hand at the final whistle.
“I prefer not to answer question about handshakes,” Mourinho told the BBC.
“I pushed him because he was in my technical area,” Hughes said. “Maybe that’s why he didn’t want to shake my hand.” – AFP