Mourinho sees victory in defeat

LEAGUE CUP Jose claims Hull‘s dubious penalty does not count as United progress into final on aggregate despite 12 loss

A day prior, Liverpool had been bundled out of the competition by Southampton.

Klopp claimed the wind had made conditions difficult in Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to the Saints on Wednesday and Mourinho made an acerbic reference to that remark when he was asked if United were the favourites for the trophy.

“I don’t think we are favourites against nobody,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter where we play, against who, we are never favourites. Normally the stadium is windy and it’s difficult.” LONDON:

campaign in the post Alex Ferguson era will see another revival with the League Cup final. It will be United’s second major final since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Van Gaal led the side to victory in the FA Cup final last season which was the only silverware in United’s troubled post-Ferguson era.

tenure as United manager has been a bittersweet journey thus far. The Portuguese coach admitted to wanting the job for a while but was under criticism in the first few months as the team struggled to garner favourable results under his leadership.

League Cup three times as manager of Chelsea, Mourinho will be optimistic of winning the trophy for his first major triumph with United. He did win the Community Shield in August 2016, beating Premier League champions Leicester City 2-1 at Wembley.

a 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions before losing to Hull City on Thursday. While Mourinho lambasted the referee for incorrectly awarding a penalty for Hull’s opening goal, his side had themselves to blame for the defeat.

able to create one chance in the first half which Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn’t able to convert.

was ineffective for most of the match as Tom Huddlestone managed to track him closely. United’s defence also had a torrid time as stand-in players Chris

Smalling and

Matteo Darmian lacked concentration. Huddlestone

35-pen

Niasse 85

Man United won 3-2 on aggregate Pogba 66 Southampton won aggregate Long 90 on