Under-fire Jose holds on to belief that Red Devils can catch top-four
UNDER-PRESSURE Jose Mourinho remains confident that Manchester United will finish in the top four of the Premier League, despite yesterday’s chastening loss at bitter rivals Liverpool leaving them 11 points off the pace.
A difficult season for the Old Trafford giants continued as they deservedly lost to the league leaders in a one-sided encounter at Anfield.
United were level at halftime after Alisson Becker’s blunder saw Jesse Lingard cancel out Sadio Mane’s opener, but Liverpool’s pressure eventually counted as substitute Xherdan Shaqiri’s deflected brace secured a 3-1 win.
It leaves Jurgen Klopp’s men an eye-watering 19 points ahead of United after just 17 matches, but the 11-point gap to the Champions League spots is arguably even more concerning.
Asked if he was confident of making up that margin, Mourinho said: “Yes, I think [we can]. What gives me that belief? It gives me the belief that we are going to make much more points in the second part of the season than we did in the first part.
“I know we lost some other matches but we played away at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City – probably the three best teams apart from Tottenham.
“But we play with them away. I think we have more possibility to get more points in the second part of the season than the first part.”
Mourinho’s side do have a kind-looking set of matches coming up but they desperately need to up their performance heading into the festive fixtures.
And while his team under-performed at Anfield, the United manager took the unusual step of shouldering the blame.
“I don’t think a football team is just a squad – it’s much more than the squad,” Mourinho said.
“I am really, really happy with the players that I had on the pitch, with their attitude, with their effort.
“And because I am more than happy, I assume the responsibilities of the defeat and I want them to be hidden behind me.
“Eric Bailly knows he plays one minute before the game [because of Chris Smalling’s injury in the warm-up].
“[Victor] Lindelof trained one day to play, [Diogo] Dalot trained one day to play.
“[Matteo] Darmian trained one day to play, Ashley Young played with a sore ankle and I could go on, and on, and on.
“I am happy with the players’ commitment and the players’ attitude.”
Mourinho defended hapless Romelu Lukaku’s display and his decision to leave Paul Pogba on the bench.
The United boss did,