Mourinho fights battle for United’s soul

This isn’t a vintage United side, but it’s not as bad as the detractors would suggest.

MANCHESTER, Uni t ed Kingdom: Most clubs would be delighted to be sitting second in the Premier League, into the FA Cup quarter- finals and on the verge of a return to the last eight of the Champions League.

Andy Mitten, editor of the United We Stand fanzine

for an away goal against a side that has lost heavily to the likes of Spartak Moscow, Eibar and Real Betis this season will come back to haunt Mourinho if United fail to progress.

To do so, Mourinho must find the right blend between attack and defence with big decisions to be made over whether £ 89 million ( US$ 116 million) club record signing Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, who joined in January on reportedly the highest pay packet in Premier League history, start.

French midfielder Pogba missed the 2-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday due to injury, paving the way for Sanchez to move inside with Marcus Rashford starting for the first time this year in the Premier League on the left.

Rashford took just 25 minutes to show what Sanchez hasn’t been delivering by scoring twice, doubling the Chilean’s tally in a United shirt.

However, Mourinho st i l l withdrew the young Englishman rather than Sanchez as he battened down the hatches in the final 20 minutes – a decision that drew boos from the United fans.

“The fans they can do what they want. I’m not upset at all with that reaction,” insisted Mourinho before launching a staunch defence of Scott McTominay, who was selected ahead of Pogba for the first leg against Sevilla.

McTominay’s decision to pass the ball backwards rather than launching a counter- attack midway through the second half against Liverpool was met with derision. “I’m upset with the reaction t hey had wit h S cot t McTominay. That a kid with 21 years old, making all the right decisions, and they want him to make the wrong decisions,” added Mourinho.

That Mourinho saw playing forward as the wrong decision is a microcosm of why so many are quick to criticise even when results are forthcoming. — AFP