Jose Mourinho questions players’ commitment

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accused his players of approaching the loss to Fenerbahce as if it was a “summer friendly”.

The Red Devils dropped to third in Group A of the Europa League following a 2-1 defeat in Istanbul.

United have now won just two of their last seven games in all competitions.

“A team that concedes after two minutes is a team that is not ready, not mentally prepared, not focused, not concentrated,” said Mourinho.

United have scored just two goals in their last four games, while conceding after just 30 seconds against Chelsea and 65 seconds against Fenerbahce.

Striker Moussa Sow netted the opener with a stunning overhead kick, Jeremain Lens added a beautifully curled free-kick, before Wayne Rooney struck a long-range consolation late on.

The 89th-minute effort took his tally in Europe for the club to 38 goals, equalling Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record, but he has netted just twice in 17 games all season.

The Portuguese said: “Our problems started in our global attitude. They were playing the Champions League final, we were playing a summer friendly. That is the reality of how the game started.

“They deserved to win, football is not just about quality, it is also about effort, commitment, playing the limits and giving everything. You have to play for 90 minutes in the maximum of your desire and concentration.

“In an atmosphere like this, to give the advantage to the opposition, that is where they want to be. They then slowed the play, putting pressure on the referee, simulating and that is our fault.”

The former Chelsea manager did admit “one of the good things today is that Rooney finally scored a goal”.

Of Mourinho’s four summer signings – Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly – only Frenchman Pogba started the match, before hobbling off injured with a leg injury.

Ibrahimovic took his place and Mkhitaryan played for the first time since 10 September. Defender Bailly is out for two months with a knee injury.

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes feels the form of the side is “a worry” and believes they will struggle to win the Premier League over the next couple of years.

He told BT Sport: “United have two big problems at the minute. They are really struggling to score goals and to win games of football with Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo at centre-half, they almost need to score three.

“This team in two years will be unrecognisable from what it is now. Whatever we do in this two years has to be a bonus.

“It has shown in the last three years that they can’t win the league with these players.”

World record signing Pogba lasted only half an hour after suffering what appeared to be a dead leg. The extent of the injury is not known and whether he will be fit to face Swansea in the Premier League on Sunday.

The ex-Juventus midfielder joins an injury list which also contains the following defenders:


Source: BBC