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UNITED FINALLY SECURE SECOND PLACE AFTER ILL-TEMPERED DRAW AT HAMMERS MATCH REACTION/
JOSE Mourinho admits he is unconvinced some United players will ‘make it’ under his management and wants better players in certain positions.
City were crowned champions with five fixtures remaining last month and Mourinho suggested some of the United players who started at Brighton on Friday night were ‘not disappointed’ with the defeat – and there are question marks over the futures of Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial, both aged 22.
Shaw and Martial have suffered public criticism from Mourinho in recent months and Shaw has started just once since he was substituted at half-time in the March FA Cup win over Huddersfield.
With United keen on making up to five additions in the summer transfer window, Mourinho was asked whether he required more quality or a better mindset in his squad to credibly challenge City next term.
“Both,” Mourinho replied. “How many points separate us from Manchester City? Not two, three or four. A lot of points.
“I think we need both things that you said.
“Some of the people we have, they have to be more consistent in their performance and we need more quality.
“I trust some more than others that can bridge that gap. That’s normal. I know the players. I worked with the players for a couple of years.
“I know them better than anyone.
“And, of course, some of the players I am totally convinced are going to make it, some others I have good hopes that they are going to make it and some others I don’t believe that they are going to make it.”
Mourinho went on to say it was possible he could still be saddled with certain players he has reservations about at the start of his third season in charge of United. “Of course, we can keep,” Mourinho added. “Unless there is a perfect squad, where you buy one goalkeeper you don’t like, you buy another one. You buy a central defender you don’t like, you buy another one. “Unless you can do that, and you go in the direction of the perfect squad, you have to keep players you don’t love. “When I say love, I say it ‘footballistically,’ and players you have don’t totally believe in the level of the squad. “But you have to keep them. “If you go to the Premier League managers, I don’t say every one, but I say the majority of them will tell you the same. “In my squad, I have some players where I would like to have better than what I have. “That’s basic.”
Some of the people we have, they have to be more consistent in their performance Jose Mourinho