RED HOT IT MEANS NOTHING
JOSE MOURINHO has played down Manchester United’s flying start, and claimed it “means nothing”.
United are second to Manchester City on goal difference after winning six and drawing one of their opening seven Premier League games.
But Mourinho refuses to get carried away and insists it does not mean they will be champions.
The United boss said: “Nothing has happened yet. Last year it started harder and it turned out really well.
“This year it has started really well but we do not know how it’s going to end.
“In another championship this would mean almost the title but in England it means nothing.”
Mourinho, 54, has been reflecting on his early days as a coach over a decade ago and says he is better now because he has learned to control his emotions.
He said: “I am a better coach today than I was before because I have a different control of my emotions. I face difficulties with more maturity and that means I can keep my feet on the ground.”
Mourinho has yet to play £30million summer signing Victor Lindelof in the Premier League and the Swedish defender says he is willing to be patient. Mourinho felt Lindelof needed time to adjust to English football, like Henrikh Mkhitaryan 12 months earlier, after analysing his debut in the Super Cup defeat by Real Madrid in August.
He has deliberately held Lindelof back, starting him only against Basel in the Champions League and Burton in the Carabao Cup, as he has stuck with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones at centre-half.
However Lindelof, 23, understands Mourinho’s thinking and is prepared to wait for his chance.
He said: “I feel no stress. I’m at one of the world’s best clubs. It’s clear the competition is tough but I will give it the time it takes.”
Lindelof says Mourinho has spoken to him, although he refused to reveal if he has given him any assurances about his starting prospects.
He added: “It’s between me and him. But we talk and have a good dialogue.”
Lindelof should get some valuable playing time for Sweden in their qualifiers against Luxembourg tomorrow and Holland on Tuesday – but his national boss Janne Andersson says the situation is “frustrating” and “unfortunate”.