Jose could make winning the Europa League top priority
JOSE Mourinho has indicated United could prioritise winning the Europa League over finishing in the Premier League top four if they continue to progress in the competition.
The Reds’ failure to defeat Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday has left them stranded in sixth, where they have been for four months, and they face Chelsea at home and trips to Tottenham, Arsenal and City over the last five weeks of the season.
Mourinho and his players travelled to FC Rostov for tomorrow’s Europa League round-of-16 first leg yesterday and are firm favourites to win the competition for the first time in United’s history.
Winning the Europa League would also ensure qualification for next season’s Champions League, and Mourinho hinted that could convince him to prioritise European competition ahead of domestic matters if they continue to progress.
“Yes, to finish second is better than to finish third and to finish third is better than fourth and fourth is obviously better than not being in top four and not going to the Champions League,” said the Reds’ boss.
“The second position is very difficult, but it’s very possible.
“First is impossible. Second is possible and we have to fight for it, but the Europa League is very difficult.
“But it’s a target for us and if we beat Rostov and we find ourselves in the quarter-final, then we have to think really seriously about the Europa League because in this moment we are still in the last 16.”
Mourinho made four changes to his line-up on Saturday, as Luke Shaw made his first Premier League start in over four months, Wayne Rooney lined-up in the league for the first time since December 17 while Michael Carrick and Phil Jones were previously named in the starting XI on February 1.
Shaw, Rooney and Carrick were substituted as United attempted to salvage victory, and Jones clumsily conceded the penalty which Joshua King converted.
Mourinho suggested United’s fixture accumulation could lead to more alterations to his league line-ups.
“Last 16 [in the Europa League] we are still far from the final,” he added.
“But when a team gets in the last eight and you go to the quarter-final draw, quarter-final, you smell the final.
“And then in a certain period of the season I have to analyse my team, the players, the conditions of everyone and I have to make choices.
“I have to make choices, but choices that I would always share with my owners, with my board but it’s not for now. For now it’s just play, play against Rostov, play against Chelsea, play against Rostov again and then let’s see how we are in all the competitions, and try to make the right decisions.”