My players aren’t fantastic actors
strenuously denied by the club’s hierarchy.
Mourinho put on a pretty good act himself ahead of the game.
If he is feeling the pressure he was clearly not going to show it.
Asked if his job was on the line he replied: “No, I don’t think so.”
He refused to confirm whether he had either sought or been given reassurances by Ed Woodward, United’s executive vicechairman. “That’s a private matter,” he said. “I’m not asking you who did OUT IN THE COLD: Sanchez was axed on Saturday (4-3-3) DE GEA DALOT SMALLING LINDELOF SHAW FELLAINI MATIC POGBA MATA LUKAKU (4-4-2) NETO PICCINI GABRIEL DIAKHABY GAYA SOLER PAREJO KONDOGBIA GUEDES RODRIGO RASHFORD GAMEIRO REFEREE: S Vincic (Slovenia). TV: BT Sport 2. KICK-OFF: 8pm. you speak to yesterday or this morning, or your last phone call.
“That’s a private matter, I am not going to answer to you.”
As for reports that Zidane, who quit after winning a hat-trick of Champions League titles at Real, had phoned him to reassure him he was not actively seeking his job, he pointed to the reporter and jokingly said: “He put a bug on my telephone so why don’t you ask him?”
He was more forthcoming about why he had axed Alexis Sanchez, United’s highest-paid player, on Saturday.
“I see him working hard but perhaps he lacks that final bit to score goals and provide assists,” he said.