Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SLOW START TURNS HEAT ON ROWETT
GARY ROWETT is under pressure because of Stoke City’s stuttering campaign so far. The club’s hierarchy have targeted an immediate return to the top flight and believe they have a squad easily strong enough for automatic promotion.
But the Potters are 12th in the Championship and five points off the play-off places, although a midweek win over Derby took some of the heat off boss Rowett (left).
Stoke were able to keep England keeper Jack Butland and other big names following relegation from the Premier League.
Big earners Benik Afobe and Peter Crouch were on the bench in midweek. JOSE MOURINHO has admitted Manchester United’s players have left him in a state of “confusion” with their slow starts to matches.
Struggling United could find themselves 17 points adrift of leaders Manchester City by the time they kick off at Southampton tonight (boarding a plane to the south coast, above).
The Reds sit in seventh place, already out of the title race and seven points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea. They are in danger of missing out on a Champions League place.
Mourinho has repeatedly called on his players to begin games with more intensity and urgency, and has admitted their sluggish starts go against everything he tells them.
“In some matches, the way we start is not as intense, emotional and aggressive as the way I would like the team to start,” said Mourinho.
“Other times – against Young Boys, for example – we had that start where I imagine what the game could be if, after 10 minutes, the score is 2-0.
“Sometimes, it’s because of efficiency. We didn’t score the chances we had and, in this case, goals have a huge impact in the way the game goes.
“Young Boys wouldn’t have defended the way they did if, after 10 minutes, they were losing 2-0.
“Other times, it’s because of the way we approach the