SILVA: I’D HAVE KEPT MUM TOO
IT’S taken a while, but Jose Mourinho has finally got his mojo back.
The familiar swagger and glint in the eye, missing for so much of his turbulent Manchester United tenure, have returned.
That much was following United’s dramatic 2-1 win over Juventus, when he was back to his controversial and playful best.
After goading home fans who had abused him by cupping his hand to his ear, Mourinho showed his impish side in a post-match interview. Questioned about the incident afterwards and why he acted the way he did, the United boss asked the interviewer if she understood Italian. When she said no, Mourinho replied, “Ask the FA then, they’ll translate for you,” a sarcastic reference to the ongoing misconduct charge he faces for swearing into a TV camera. After delivering his riposte, the Portuguese dissolved into laughter, showing a lighter side that is finally emerging as United’s results have improved. Mourinho even evident joked about United’s late arrivals at Old Trafford for Champions League games, saying he hoped they “arrived on time” for the final home group game against Young Boys later this month.
He also reacted with humour to the leaking of his team before games, a situation said to have vexed him, joking with those responsible that the pressure is on them to deliver the correct line-up.
The scowl has been replaced by a smile.
From being on the brink of the sack against Newcastle a month ago, Mourinho has steered United back on course, culminating in Wednesday’s win at a European heavyweight.
The timing could not been better for Mourinho and United, who head across Manchester on Sunday for their biggest game of the season against champions and neighbours City.
Their local rivals may top the table, playing with a swagger and scoring 12 goals in their last two matches, but United will feel they can get a result, just as they did last season, winning 3-2 to delay City’s title party. On that occasion, United trailed DAVID SILVA says Raheem Sterling was right not to come clean over his penalty controversy.
Sterling kept quiet when he won a penalty for tripping himself up (right) in Manchester City’s 6-0 Champions League drubbing of Shakhtar Donetsk.
Silva says he would have done the same because City have been denied spot-kicks in the past. “No,” said the Spanish playmaker. “I wouldn’t have said 2-0 at half-time, but fought back to remind everyone of their quality.
Starting games slowly has been a recurring theme for United this season and Mourinho must ensure they do not suffer a repeat on Sunday, with City playing with such ruthlessness going forward.
Defensively, United may still be suspect, but Mourinho has at least settled on a back four, while in midfield he is likely to go with a trio of Nemanja Matic,
Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera on Sunday.
The enforced loss of Romelu Lukaku has helped United, with more pace and movement in a front three of Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard, with Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford able to start or come in if required.
More than anything, United’s players seem to be enthused again, as Lingard admitted after the Juve win.
“We’re enjoying our football, enjoying winning games and enjoying the pressure of playing in big games,” said Lingard.
“You can’t write us off. We will fight until the end and we’ll get late goals as we have done over the last few games. This game will give us confidence going into the next match. We’ve still got a lot to work on, but on the whole we’re doing well.”
Herrera put United’s victory in Turin into context when he said: “We were playing against maybe the team, along with City, that’s in the best form in Europe. So we are happy because it’s a win that gives us a lot.
“City is a new game, a new situation. It’s true they are the favourites because they are in unbelievable form, but this is Manchester United and you never know what can happen.”
United have endured criticism, but have come through their sticky period, with Sunday’s showdown providing the ultimate test of whether they can get back into the title mix.
“When you play for United, the biggest club in the UK and one of the biggest in the world, you have to get used to that,” added Herrera. “Players need to have the personality to cope.
“The last results gave us good spirit and energy, but the real United we’ll see at the end of the season and then we can say if we’ve had a good one.”
City are playing with a swagger, but United feel they’ll get a result
You can’t write us off. We fight until the end and will get late goals
say, ‘No, it wasn’t a penalty’, the referee’s not going to turn round later in the game and say, ‘Have a penalty’.”
Sterling scored a cracker in the thrashing of Shakhtar on Wednesday and Silva added: “I said years ago when I first set eyes on him, ‘What a player!’
“He’s an incredible player and he can be one of the best in the world.” Silva, preparing for Sunday’s
Manchester derby, claims City’s 6-1 demolition of Manchester United at Old Trafford seven years ago was the moment the balance of power shifted in their favour.
“United commanded a lot of respect then, but it changed from when we won there 6-1,” he said. “The mentality changed that day. Now I think we are held in great esteem.
“The result, the fact that it was at United and the respect United commanded, makes it one derby that will go down
in history.”