MOURINHO: Vic’s coming to get you...
JOSE Mourinho has sent out a warning to United defenders Eric Bailly and Phil Jones - Victor Lindelof is coming after you.
Mourinho paid Benfica £30m for the Swedish international central defender in the summer.
But 22-year Lindelof had a trying time in United’s pre-season, culminating with a difficult outing against Real Madrid in the Super Cup.
Since his Skopje struggle, Lindelof has had to either watch the Reds from the stands in the opening four Premier League matches, or from the bench as an unused substitute.
However, Bailly and Jones are suspended for United’s return to the Champions League at Old Trafford against Basel tonight.
It has left Mourinho having to start with Lindelof and Chris Smalling, who has also not played a minute of the campaign yet. But the Reds boss has no worries about Lindelof facing the Swiss Super League champions.
“I am more than confident and I know he is more than confident. He is a very good player with very good potential, trust me,” said Mourinho.
“There is reason for the other boys, Eric (Bailly) and Phil (Jones), to be worried because Victor is a very good player.
“I think it’s easier for him to play Champions League, it’s more comparable to the Portuguese style of football, to the football in the Portuguese League. There is more difference in relation to the Premier League.
“There is no need to adapt to the Champions League but he needs a bit more time to adapt to the Premier League, especially the new Premier League.
“He’s an intelligent kid, very bright, very calm, he knows that step by step he is going to be there.” Mourinho has said Lindelof probably won’t play on Sunday in the Premier League against Everton at Old Trafford but will play next week in the home Carabao Cup match against Burton Albion. Despite the lack of minutes for the Lindelof-Smalling pairing for the Champions League opener, the Reds manager has no concerns about pitching them into the battle. “It’s not an opportunity, it’s just normal, I don’t think Bailly and Jones are better than them, I think they are the same level but just different players,” added Mourinho. “Even if Jones and Bailly were not suspended I would probably still play Lindelof and Smalling. “Playing one match a week I have felt no reason to make changes but now we are into two games a week. “I will play them (against Basel) and for me it’s exactly the same as playing Bailly and Jones.”
I don’t think Bailly and Jones are better than them, I think they are the same level, just different
Jose Mourinho