Manchester: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes there are “many reasons” why the team have underperformed this season, saying on Friday that Newcastle United will be tough opponents as he looks to end a run of four games without a win.
Pressure has mounted on the Portuguese coach in recent weeks after United’s first 10 games yielded a return of four wins, three draws and three defeats, with one of the draws preceding a League Cup penalty shoot-out exit to second-tier Derby County.
“We can do much better. To do that we need points,” Mourinho said of a side languishing in 10th place in the Premier League standings, nine points behind champions Manchester City after seven fixtures.
“Yes, I accept (results have not been good enough),” he added in a tense news conference that lasted a little more than three-and-a-half minutes.
Asked by journalists why United were struggling, Mourinho replied “for many different reasons”, but refused to elaborate.
United have not won at home since beating Leicester 2-1 in the first match of the season and off-field issues, including reports of a rift between the manager and midfielder Paul Pogba, have been an unwelcome distraction.
Newcastle are also struggling, without a win and sitting third-bottom in the standings.
“We know our opponent also needs points,” Mourinho added. “They have a very, very, very good coach (Rafael Benitez), a team that is always well organised against teams of the first part of the table.
“The results they had against the top teams didn’t get them points yet this season but they gave them very, very close results and difficult matches for the opposition, so we expect a difficult match.”
Former United star Paul Scholes says the club should stick with Mourinho but says he is “sick of him moaning” about what he is lacking at the club.
Former United and England midfielder Scholes has been one of Mourinho’s most outspoken critics and labelled the Portuguese boss “embarrassing” before Tuesday’s goalless Champions League draw with Valencia.
Scholes even expressed his surprise that Mourinho had not been sacked following last weekend’s 3-1 loss at West Ham but his view appears to have softened ahead of the visit of Newcastle.
“The game on Saturday was one — after the Paul Pogba stuff in the week (Pogba was stripped of the vice-captaincy) — where you question the work ethic,” he told BBC Radio.
“I think Tuesday was a little bit different in that way. They tried, worked a bit harder but lacked the real quality to win the game.”
He said he agreed with fellow “Class of 92” graduate Ryan Giggs that United should stick with Mourinho.
But he added: “I’m sick of him moaning about what he hasn’t got when I think he really should be concentrating on what he has got.
“I think he’s got some real quality in the squad who are very low in confidence. Jose over the years has been a brilliant coach. His record suggests that, he’s been one of the very best.
“I think now I’d like to see him stay. Take this, which I think is probably the biggest challenge of his career — and show us what a good coach he is.”
— Agencies
