Man U still unbeaten: Jose

LONDON. - Jose Mourinho claimed Manchester United were “still unbeaten” as he refused to recognise Hull’s penalty in their EFL Cup semi-final defeat on Thursday night.

United went down 2-1 on Humberside as their 17-match unbeaten run came to an end, but Paul Pogba’s goal ensured they won 3-2 on aggregate to set up a meeting with Southampton at Wembley.

Hull’s opener on the night came from the penalty spot after referee Jon Moss spotted a Marcos Rojo foul on Harry Maguire.

Mourinho, who has twice been given touchline bans this season, would not comment on the decision in a brief post-match interview with Sky Sports.

And the United boss went to greater lengths still to avoid the subject in his post-match press conference, repeatedly refusing to speak about the penalty and even claiming he “did not see” any Hull goal other than Oumar Niasse’s second.

“We didn’t lose,” he said. “It was 1-1. I only saw two goals. I saw a Pogba goal and their goal, a fantastic goal. It was 1-1, we are still unbeaten. I think 18 matches unbeaten is amazing.

“I didn’t see Hull’s first goal. We celebrate, we are in the final. I don’t want to speak about the penalty or the performance. The game was in our pocket, under our control, and something hap- pened to open the game.

“The game was dead. The game was what we wanted it to be. I don’t want to say anything else, it is enough. I am calm. I behaved on the bench. No sending off, no punishment, so no more words.”

Mourinho also appeared to reference Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as he spoke about “windy stadiums” in answer to a question about next month’s final.

In December, Klopp claimed the wind in England was a problem and again brought it up after Liverpool’s defeat to Southampton in Tuesday night’s other semi-final

And Mourinho said: “I don’t think we are favourites against nobody. It doesn’t matter against who or where, we are never favourites. Normally the stadium is windy and it’s difficult.”

But Mourinho was made to sweat on his 54th birthday before finally being handed the gift of a place in the EFL Cup final as Michael Carrick admitted how lucky they were on Thursday night.

United will face Southampton at Wembley on February 26 but suffered the indignity of losing 2-1 to struggling Hull and seeing their 17-match unbeaten run destroyed.

Midfielder Carrick said of his team’s stuttering display: “We got away with it. I’m just disappointed to be honest, with the way we played and losing the game.

“It’s a strange feeling in many ways, we wanted to keep our run going and our form going.

“We didn’t play well at all. Of course we are delighted to be there (in the final), we’ll shake it off and bounce into the next game.’’ - Sky Sports.