Wembley win will not be silver lining

Mourinho says United’s season not defined by outcome of showpiece against Conte’s Blues

Jose Mourinho insists Manchester United’s season will not be defined by today’s FA Cup final.

United finished second in the Premier League, a distant 19 points behind runaway champions Manchester City, but they have the chance to round off their campaign by lifting some silverware against Chelsea at Wembley.

However, Mourinho said: “People can do what they want, you can analyse the way you want to analyse. I can also analyse the way I want to analyse.

“Of course it makes a difference, but it’s one thing to make a difference and the other is to consider the season good or bad because of one match.

“I analyse the work I do, the effort I put in, and everything we all did at the club. That includes the most important persons at the club, the players.

“I’m not going to analyse them because of one, of course, very important, match.

“I know the positive things and the negative things so I am not going to change my analysis of the season because of the result of one match. Not at all.”

Mourinho will be desperately hoping Romelu Lukaku passes a late fitness test. The United boss was unable to confirm whether the Belgium striker would overcome the ankle injury he suffered, against Arsenal a fortnight, ago in time.

Some pundits have expressed fears the showpiece could be a dull, cagey affair, especially given some of United’s lessthan-cavalier performances this season.

But Mourinho countered: “I don’t understand these words of entertaining. Do you think 6-0 is entertaining? I don’t think so.

“I think entertaining is emotional until the end, an open result until the end, everybody on their seats until the end, both dug-outs nervous and tense with the unpredictability of the result.

“For me as a football lover, not as a manager, that’s entertaining. I think it will be entertaining.”

Antonio Conte has meanwhile reiterated his focus is on the immediate future and the cup final rather than the ongoing speculation over his future as Chelsea head coach.

A fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, missing out on Champions League qualification, came as part of a season of discontent for Conte, who could still finish the campaign with a trophy if the Blues beat United.

Conte last year won the Premier League title in his first season and signed a new contract, but not an extension to the deal which runs until June 2019.

And speculation has been rife for the entire campaign that owner Roman Abramovich is preparing to make a managerial change this summer. If so, the Wembley date would be Conte’s last as boss.

“I can say for sure this will be my last match this season,” Conte said.

“For me and my players it will be the last game for us. Then, as you know very well, I have a contract and I’m committed to the club.”

Asked about the prospect of a summer of change at Stamford Bridge, Conte evaded the question.

“I don’t know,” he said.

“For sure, I think we must be focused on tomorrow’s game. For us this game is very important because we have in a difficult season (the chance) to finish the season with a trophy.

“It’s always important for the players, for the coach, for the manager, for our fans, for the club, to finish the season with a trophy.

“We’re focused on this target. We have to try to do everything to win the game tomorrow.”

Despite the results suggesting otherwise, Conte maintains during this season the Blues were as driven as the year before.

He added: “We worked harder than last season. I’m sure about this. For me it’s enough for myself.”

Conte faces his immediate predecessor as permanent Chelsea boss in Mourinho.

The pair have had a feisty relationship and in January had a running feud, exchanging verbal barbs which increased in ferocity until a truce was brokered at Old Trafford in February.

Conte said: “This is not important what happened.

“There is a relationship between me and him.

“Tomorrow I will shake his hand and both of us will think of the game.”

This is the second successive FA Cup final for Chelsea and Conte.

The Blues lost to Arsenal 12 months ago, missing out on the double, and Conte recalls the game well, describing it as “strange”.

Conte has lost two domestic cup finals as a manager – his Juventus side was beaten by Napoli in the 2012 Coppa Italia – and the Italian is hoping it will be third time lucky.

He added: “We deserve to have this chance, to win an important trophy. We have to fight against a really good team and we want to fight, want to try to win the game, to lift the trophy.”

Conte remained coy on his team selection, refusing to divulge who would start in goal.

Thibaut Courtois is his usual first choice, but Willy Caballero has played in the cup so far this season.

United Winger Anthony Martial has been passed fit after overcoming a knee injury while it was confirmed that would be no Wembley farewell for long-serving midfielder Michael Carrick, who retires at the end of the season.