We would have won with video replays: Mourinho
manchester — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said his side would have beaten Everton on Tuesday, instead of drawing 1-1, had video technology been in use for the game.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic saw a 71stminute equaliser ruled out for offside, with replays suggesting he may have been onside before he headed the ball past Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles.
He eventually did level with a stoppage-time penalty, cancelling out Phil Jagielka’s 22nd-minute opener, but Mourinho said United had been denied victory unjustly.
“With the VAR (video assistant referee), we win this game 2-1 because it’s not an offside,” Mourinho told BT Sport at Old Trafford.
“But it’s a difficult one for the linesman. I’m not critical of the linesman. I just say when the VAR comes, it will help everyone, especially the linesmen and referees.”
Video technology, which enables officials to overturn match-changing decisions after consulting video
I’m not critical of the linesman. I just say when the VAR comes, it will help everyone Jose Mourinho
replays, is currently being trialled internationally, but is not in use in the Premier League.
Ibrahimovic’s 94th-minute penalty, after Ashley Williams was sent off for handling substitute Luke Shaw’s goal-bound shot, extended United’s unbeaten run to 20 league games.
But it was their ninth home draw of the campaign and left them four points adrift of Manchester City, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualifying berth. “The performance was not very good,” said Mourinho, whose side drew 0-0 at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
“The spirit in the second half was phenomenal, with some players really in trouble. “Some by the physical point of view, some others clearly with the confidence level low and difficult to perform better. But they fought until the last second.”
United might be 20 unbeaten in the league but it increasingly looks as if their best hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League now rests with winning the Europa League after a ninth home league draw of the season.
Wayne Rooney was left out of the United squad altogether, with manager Jose Mourinho saying that his captain was suffering with ankle problems.
Having dropped the underperforming Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the bench, Mourinho made clear that he expected better from his forward line following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion. Ibrahimovic almost gave them the lift they needed in the first five minutes as he surged into the penalty area, but Williams thwarted him with a well-timed block. United struggled to make headway, though, with only the odd glimpse of goal.
Ander Herrera planted a 20yard shot wide from Michael Carrick’s pass and Marcus Rashford saw a shot pushed aside by the advancing Robles.
The home side were shocked as Everton then took the lead in the 22nd minute, seconds after David de Gea had blocked Kevin Mirallas’s near-post shot from a Gareth Barry chip-through.
From the resulting corner Williams glanced on and Jagielka, back to goal and under pressure from Marcos Rojo, somehow hooked the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.
United almost drew level on the half-hour mark after Mirallas conceded a free-kick by wrestling Jesse Lingard to the floor on the edge of the penalty area.
Daley Blind’s curling shot was pushed out at full stretch by Robles, before Herrera smashed the follow-up against the bar from a tight angle. — Agencies