MOURINHO REFUSES TO CRITICISE TEAM AFTER WEST HAM STALEMATE
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho refused to criticise his side despite another display lacking inspiration in attacking areas as they sealed second place in the Premier League with a 0-0 draw at West Ham on Thursday.
In a game of precious few clear-cut chances, Luke Shaw hit the post and Paul Pogba headed wide with United’s best opening.
A third blank in their last five league games for United means local rivals Manchester City can seal another Premier League record by winning the league by at least 19 points if they win at Southampton on the last day of the season tomorrow.
“We are the second best team in the Premier League, a fantastic competition with lots of good teams,” said Mourinho.
“We came second. I am not totally happy (because) that is not my nature, but since the moment we felt it was impossible to finish first, we had the target to finish second and it is done today.”
In United’s first game since legendary former manager Alex Ferguson had to have emergency surgery on a brain haemorrhage, the visiting fans showed their support to the 76-year-old Scot with persistent chants of “we all love Alex Ferguson”.
There was a more subdued atmosphere from the home fans at the end of another deeply frustrating campaign for the Hammers.
Two years ago to the day, West Ham waved goodbye to Upton Park in a thrilling 3-2 win over United on a night of high emotion in East London.
That victory also helped secure European football, but the move to the London Stadium, sold to supporters as West Ham’s chance to compete with the Premier League elite, has so far proved a false dawn.
Survival was only mathematically ■
Jose Mourinho says Romelu Lukaku could start the FA Cup final on the bench as the Manchester United striker battles to recover from an ankle injury in time for the Wembley showdown with Chelsea.
Lukaku hasn’t featured for United since suffering his ankle problem against Arsenal last month and is set to miss the last game of the Premier League season against Watford tomorrow.
Now the Belgium star is in a race against time to recover for the Cup final on May 19, with United manager Mourinho conceding Lukaku might only be fit enough to come on as a substitute.
“We hope he can play the final,” Mourinho said after Thursday’s 0-0 draw at West Ham. “We are just waiting to see if it’s possible for him to be involved in the final, if not starting at least he can be on the bench.”
Lukaku has scored 27 goals since joining United from Everton last year. The Cup final represents United’s last chance to win a trophy this season. secured last weekend and West Ham remain in lowly 15th place.
Big achievement
“It’s a big achievement for us,” insisted West Ham manager David Moyes of keeping his side in the top flight.
“We had to get the players in order a little bit after we came in, and we have done that. This is a big club and there are big expectations from the supporters so they will need to improve.”
Mourinho reacted to Friday’s meek 1-0 defeat at Brighton by making eight changes with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial relegated to the bench despite the continued absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku.
However, that failed to provoke an immediate response as West Ham posed the early threat.
Marko Arnautovic’s goals have kept Moyes’s men up and the Austrian muscled his way into a good shooting position on six minutes but placed his shot too close to David de Gea.
Adrian has been restored in the West Ham goal for the past three games in place of England international Joe Hart, and showed why with a hat-trick of fine saves.
A lacklustre United display was reflected in Pogba again failing to take control of the game.