Jose Mourinho insisted in the build-up to Sunday’s clash with Stoke City that he needs more time to get things the way he wants them at Manchester United. And, after Joe Allen made the most of an error by David de Gea to earn a 1-1 draw, his assertion that United are nowhere near the finished article is clear for all to see. After Anthony Martial had come off the bench to give them the lead with 21 minutes to go, this was a game they should have been able to see out with something to spare. Instead, their normally-reliable goalkeeper – Player of the Year for three seasons running – spilled what seemed a straight-forward save and they were made to pay. But, while De Gea will be thrust under the spotlight in a game when his opposite number Lee Grant earned … [Read more...]

Jose Mourinho has moved to increase Sir Alex Ferguson's influence on decision-making at Old Trafford as part of the manager's efforts to return Manchester United to the summit of English football. Ferguson has been the most publicly prominent member of United's 'Football Club Board' since the Septuagenarian voluntarily stepped down as manager in the summer of 2013. His directorship, however, has been essentially ceremonial, with the main board of Manchester United PLC regularly ignoring his counsel on how the club should be run.qeup Though Ferguson was allowed to select his immediate successor as manager as a condition of his retirement, the nine-man PLC board have excluded him from the appointment processes that resulted in both Louis van Gaal in 2014, and … [Read more...]

Juan Mata has dismissed suggestions that he and Jose Mourinho endure a difficult working relationship. The 28-year-old was sold to Manchester United in 2014 while Jose Mourinho was manager of Chelsea. However the Spaniard has played an integral part in Manchester United's start to the season under Mourinho, scoring once and registering two assists in his four Premier League appearances. The No. 10 was instrumental in Manchester United's 4-1 win over Leicester City last Saturday , playing in his favourite number ten role instead of captain Wayne Rooney who was dropped to the bench. "My relationship with Mourinho has never been bad," Mata told Spanish radio station Cope. "Many lies were told about me and Mourinho when he arrived at the club this summer … [Read more...]

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the only goal in the second half to give Manchester United victory over Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk. The Swede struck on 69 minutes, rising highest at the back post to power home a header from close range after Wayne Rooney had miscued a shot. United were far from at their best, and with two-thirds of the game gone they had yet to record a shot on target as the visitors from Ukraine proved tough to break down. Fenerbahce’s win over Feyenoord means that Jose Mourinho’s men sit second in the group, and they play the Turkish outfit next in three weeks time. Two weeks on from opening their maiden group stage campaign in the competition with defeat at Feyenoord, Jose Mourinho conceded his side could ill afford to falter against … [Read more...]

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has called his side's hectic October fixture as a "poisoned gift". Zlatan Ibrahimovic powered United through, who had struggled for the entire duration to break through the stubborn Ukrainian side. The win, however, would help ease United, who have a packed fixture list in October, when they face Liverpool away on the Monday before their next Europa League game against Fenerbahce on Oct. 20. That is followed by a trip to Chelsea the following Sunday then a League Cup tie against Manchester City three days later. "Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play Liverpool on the Sunday, but we play Liverpool on the Monday [October 17]," Mourinho said. "So maybe we don't have the best conditions … [Read more...]