Improved City difficult to catch, admits Mourinho

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted his side have little chance of catching Premier League champions Manchester City next season unless the standards set by Pep Guardiola’s side slip.

Second-placed United trail City by 16 points with four games of the league season to go after Guardiola’s men kept up their chase of a series of Premier League records by thrashing Swansea 5-0 on Sunday.

Mourinho believes United let crucial points slip away in defeats to West Brom, Huddersfield and Newcastle.

However, the Portuguese coach reckons even if those errors are eradicated next season, it will be difficult to challenge for the title if free-spending City bolster their squad once more over the summer.

“I think we should have eight, nine or 10 points more than we had,” said Mourinho after reaching the FA Cup final by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Saturday.

“It was not acceptable the last defeat (to West Brom), not acceptable the performance at Huddersfield, not acceptable the performance at Newcastle, so we lost a few matches where we should do better.

“Can we improve next season? Let’s try. Can Manchester City keep this level or improve this level? Only they can say.

“If they have the team they have, and they are going to invest on the top of the team they have, of course it’s going to be difficult.”