Mourinho is a sore loser on and off pitch
United’s boss blames everyone but himself
WHEN the dust settled, Jose Mourinho will have reflected he was a loser on three counts in Sunday’s derby – pre and post-match and, of course, the game itself.
And come the end of the season, it will be a major surprise if he does not end up losing the Premier League title race to his old rival Pep Guardiola as well.
Before the game, he was up to his old tricks by trying to influence referee Michael Oliver, suggesting Manchester City players dive and pointing to what he feels is the cynical tactic of giving away free-kicks high up the pitch to stop an opponent’s momentum.
He even questioned Guardiola’s wearing of a yellow ribbon in support of those fighting for independence in his native Catalonia.
None of the mind games or gamesmanship, call it what you will, worked because Oliver turned in a thoroughly professional performance and got just about every decision spot on, while City and Guardiola simply turned a deaf ear and got on with the job of playing United off the park.
In fact, Mourinho ended up with egg on his face when Ander Herrera was booked for diving after throwing himself to the ground over Nicolas Otamendi’s challenge.
As for the game itself, even United die-hards were admitting through gritted teeth that City’s football made their team look second rate and Mourinho’s tactical approach look dated.
The taunting chant of “Park the bus, park the bus Man United” from City’s travelling fans will have irritated and embarrassed even someone with such renowned thick skin as Mourinho.
Former United stars Eric Cantona and Andrei Kanchelskis have both expressed doubts about the style of Mourinho’s side. United sat deep, allowed City to play and, when they did have the ball, kicked it long. It ensured Romelu Lukaku had a torrid afternoon.
Lukaku touched the ball 27 times, including three in the City area. Both his touches in the United area led to City’s goals while he got little service or support at the other end.
When he did get chances, he ballooned a shot over and saw his close-range effort hit Ederson in the face when it looked easier to score.
Lukaku has faced all of last season’s top six this season and not scored, underlining his flat-track bully reputation.
Only after David Silva had struck did United show some attacking threat. They had their first shot on target and equalised late in the first half. It left United fans thinking what might have been the outcome had they started with that approach.
Whether it was anxiety and insecurity or Mourinho’s pragmatism that was behind the caution is difficult to assess. But his teams have played that way in key games in the past. City’s players have bought into Guardiola’s total football philosophy but you do not get the feeling it is the same at Old Trafford.
After the game, Mourinho did himself no favours. Whatever the level of City’s celebrations, it was unwise to poke his nose into their dressing room to tell them to turn the volume down and show some respect. No wonder it caused a fracas. It was a bit rich coming from the man who once ran down the touchline like a whirling dervish after Porto’s Champions League win at Old Trafford in 2004 and who was once described as “an enemy of football” by a UEFA official after countless disciplinary misdemeanours. What goes around comes around.
He invited ridicule when he claimed City were “lucky” and that Herrera should have had a penalty when every ex-referee and ex-player in the media said referee Oliver got it right.
With 66 points to play for it would be foolish to say the title race is over but with an 11-point lead, City must lose four games and United have to win all theirs. Since they took over in Manchester 18 months ago, Guardiola and Mourinho have overseen 54 league games. Guardiola has a 70.4 per cent win ratio, while Mourinho’s stands at 53.7 per cent.
No team have ever failed to lift the title with so many points after 16 games. Unless something goes dramatically wrong, City look set to be champions in May.
They will be showering themselves with champagne rather than milk and water then at the Etihad.