The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Silver-tongued Mourinho
Cup wish as United bank points
Middlesbro 1 Man Utd 3
Jose Mourinho said he would rather win the Europa League than finish fourth in the Premier League after seeing Manchester United bank three points at struggling Middlesbrough yesterday.
Goals from Marouane Fellaini – his first in the league this season – and Jesse Lingard either side of half-time put United in the driving seat until substitute Rudy Gestede pulled one back for Boroto spark a late flurry.
However, Victor Valdes’ late slip handed Antonio Valencia the simplest of chances to make it 3-1 and ease Mourinho’s men into fifth place in the table.
The Portuguese said: “(It’s a) big win because it keeps us alive in the fourth position race.
“Do I prefer (to) finish fourth or win the Europa League? I prefer to win the Europa League because the Europa League gives us the same, gives us Champions League football, but gives us a trophy, gives us prestige, gives us a European super cup.
“So I would prefer (that), but maybe we don’t win the Europa League, so we have to fight until we can to try to finish fourth. It is amassive victory for us.”
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended, Mourinho handed Marcus Rashford a start and was delighted with his contribution despite his failure to find the back of the net from a series of good opportunities.
He said: “His movement is top class, his dynamic is second to none.”
The game was marred by a melee after Gestede and defender Eric Bailly had clashed and there was pushing and shoving in the tunnel after the final whistle.
Mourinho did not answer when later asked what had happened, but Boro’s interim head coach Steve Agnew played down the incident.