MIDDLESBROUGH V UNITED
JOSE Mourinho has accused the Premier League of harming United’s Europa League chances.
But the Reds boss is adamant he will not throw away the last 12 games of the domestic season.
Mourinho is furious this weekend’s game at Middlesbrough has been scheduled for noon tomorrow – just three days after the Europa League last-16 second leg win over FC Rostov. And the Portuguese coach is convinced the hectic schedule – which has seen United play 11 games since the start of February – is starting to take its toll on his players.
He said: “I can understand if you don’t have any help in relation to the Premier League, but I don’t understand not having any help in relation to European football.
“I am saying this for many, many years. I’ve said this even from my first spell between 2004 and 2008. I don’t ask for me, I ask for everyone.
“They simply don’t care. There are other interests that are more important. In other countries they try to do that little support to the teams in Europe.
“But here it is difficult. We go Sunday at noon – why?
“We should be the last team to play in the weekend – it is as simple as that. We should play Monday.
“Or we should play the last match on Sunday.
“Not noon. At least let us sleep a little bit on Sunday, right? We cannot even sleep on Sunday morning. We have to wake up at seven to eat and come to the game.”
Daley Blind and Paul Pogba suffered injuries against Rostov on Thursday night while Marcos Rojo needed a banana during the second half to help the Argentinian defender get through the game.
The sight of Ashley Young handing Rojo the fruit was a humorous highlight for some United fans inside Old Trafford.
But Mourinho did not see the funny side. He added: “For some the banana story was a funny situation. I did not think it was a funny situation. When I watch marathons, when I watch other sports and people go to the limit, I don’t think it’s funny.
“I don’t think it’s funny that some of our players have played 11 matches in six weeks.
“They played last Monday with ten men, enjoying five hours on the M6 coming back and then some of them – like Marcos – were at their limit.
“People can ask why (Phil) Jones was playing on the left with so many difficulties. He was playing on the left because he could run. Marcos couldn’t run.
“We are living all of these difficulties. Let’s see if we can get a point on Sunday. If we can get a point on Sunday, I think it will be a great result for us.”
A draw at the Riverside would likely see United lose more ground in the race for the top four. But Mourinho is refusing to throw in the towel.
He added: “No, I didn’t sacrifice the game at Chelsea. It’s Manchester United, I don’t sacrifice anything.
“If I sacrifice anything, I go to Chelsea with a Nicky Butt team like Manchester City did a couple of years ago.”