JOSE: REF’S RED SAVED REDS
Sarcastic Mourinho says Herrera dismissal and FA Cup loss helped United beat bigger fixture mess
JOSE MOURINHO has ‘thanked’ ref Michael Oliver for saving Manchester United from a “total disaster” of a season.
Oliver sent off Ander Herrera during United’s defeat by Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final – and Mourinho claims that red card rescued his team from a fixture nightmare.
The Old Trafford boss was fuming with Oliver in the aftermath of that Cup defeat at Stamford Bridge but, with a heavy dose of sarcasm, said yesterday: “Thank you Michael Oliver. If we had got to the FA Cup semi-finals it would have been a total disaster.”
Mourinho, who will once again rotate his squad tonight at Southampton in the buildup to the Europa League final, said: “I do not know how we could have fitted in an FA Cup semi-final.
“I have never had a situation like this with fixtures. And on top of that we have had an accumulation of big injuries.
“They need surgery – one knee, another knee. Another foot. We’ve got fewer and fewer players available.
“My teams always go far in competitions, so I normally have a lot of matches. But never like this before.”
Referring to tonight’s game against Saints, which was originally due on the day of the League Cup final, Mourinho fumed: “This situation is crazy – you play a final and the game that you should play that day is postponed until the last week! This is crazy.”
Paul Pogba is missing as he is still mourning the death of his father, but Phil Jones, Juan Mata, Chris Smalling and Marouane Fellaini all feature.
Mourinho said it was a fine balance between trying to keep players ready for the Europa League final against Ajax in Stockholm next week and burning them out.
Mourinho added: “Ajax have finished the season and they do not have any more games until the final. Daley Blind will not be playing at Southampton but Fellaini will because he’s not played the last three games.
“I don’t want to field a team that leaves people feeling that we are not fighting for a result.”
Reds strike star Marcus Rashford has vowed the club will be stronger next season and will challenge for the title.
United, set for their secondworst finish of the Premier League era, are likely to splash more than £150million this summer. Rashford said: “We have developed and grown so much. There are many positives for next season.”
United’s net debt has risen by £17m to £366.3m, while their total revenue for the full year is set to be between £560m-£570m.