Jose’s fear for De Gea
Neville dismisses Mourinho slump as just ‘a moment in time’
JOSE MOURINHO admits he fears David de Gea will leave Manchester United. De Gea’s existing
deal runs out in the summer – although United have the option to extend it for one year – and the Spain keeper
JOSE MOURINHO’S struggles at Manchester United are “only a moment in time”, claims Gary Neville.
He insists Mourinho can be successful again at United, even though their title hopes are already over and they were outclassed by Juventus in the Champions League in midweek.
The United great recalled the club’s fallow time between 2003 and 2006 when they went three years without winning the league and boss Sir Alex Ferguson was written off.
“In that period when we didn’t win the League, we were inconsistent, we were up and down, we conceded goals,” said Neville.
“People think of the Sir Alex Ferguson years and think it was a bed of roses. It wasn’t.
“Jose had first come in at Chelsea, Arsene
Wenger had the Invincibles and Rafa Benitez was getting Liverpool to Champions League finals.
“It was suggested that Sir Alex was past it, he had built his final team, that these were the new up-and-coming managers.
“They are saying the same now about Jose, pointing to Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola. But this is only a moment of time.
“It’s only a period in a 20year management career and I think Jose will be successful again. He was successful only 18 months ago.
“If Jose
Mourinho left today then in his two-and-half years he would have won two major trophies, lost an FA Cup Final, finished second in the League and qualified for the Champions League two seasons running. And had the best finish in the Premier League since Sir Alex retired.”
Mourinho has hit out at Scotland, Belgium, Portugal and Chile for not sending injured United stars back early from international duty.
Alexis Sanchez, Marouane Fellaini, Diogo Dalot and Scott McTominay all returned injured, Sanchez is out of tomorrow’s game against Everton because of his adductor injury and Mourinho is unsure when the others would be fit. “All of our 2003-2004 P 55 W 35 G 98 Win % 63.6 2004-2005 P 61 W 35 G 100 Win % 57.4 2005-2006 P 56 W 35 G 106 Win % 62.5 Average win % 61.2
Major trophies: FA Cup 2004, League Cup 2005-06
2016-2017 P 64 W 37 G 105 Win % 57.8 2017-2018 P 56 W 37 G 101 Win % 66.1 2018-2019 P 13 W 5 G 20 Win % 38.5% Average win % 54
Major trophies: Europa League 2017, League Cup 2017
injuries were with the national teams,” said the United boss. “We played against Newcastle and we go into the international period in a good situation.
“Then after two weeks we lost Dalot in Portugal, Fellaini in Belgium, Alexis with Chile, we lost who else? McTominay with Scotland. “Some of them with the national teams, they were very professional with us and sent the players back and we could start the process early. “But some wouldn’t do that. We didn’t even know the nature of the injuries so when the players arrive, we have no idea what’s going on.”