Manchester United got back to winning form this weekend after a 3-1 away victory over relegation threatened Swansea.
The match was a welcome change for United supporters after an abhorrent couple of weeks that has seen defeats against Chelsea and Fenerbahce.
Whilst the three points brought welcome relief for the under pressure manager, Jose Mourinho wasn’t best pleased after kick off with two of his injury casualties.
Indeed many United fans in retrospect would have been slightly worried with a back four that included Ashley Young, the returning Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian.
Perhaps ‘naffed off’ with first teamers Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw informing him they weren’t fit to play, Mourinho opened up to the worlds media in a post match presso.
He explained;
“Smalling doesn’t feel that he can play 100 per cent with his pain,” he said. “Luke Shaw told me this morning that he was not in the condition to play so we had to build a defensive line.
Before going on to comment….
“There is a difference between the brave that will be there at any cost and the ones that a little pain can make a difference,
“Great football people – great sportspeople – many, many times play without being 100 per cent. For the team you have to do anything – that’s my way of saying. If one day I meet the big ones [players] of this club who have had great success – for sure, they are going to tell me that many times they put their bodies on the line even with pains everywhere.
“It’s not just the players but it’s the people that surround the players. It will take time to change [the mentality] but with the help of players like Phil Jones, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, it will be a possible mission.
Mourinho then paid particular tribute to Phil Jones who had made his first appearance since January for the club;
“I was really happy for the players who were willing to go inside and give everything, especially some of them who had doubtful condition, like Phil Jones,
“He was a brave guy to be ready to play for 90 minutes after such a long period without even training.
“Ashley Young played in a position that’s not even his position – they are just two names. I could also say Paul Pogba coming back from a painful situation. I’m really happy with the performance.”
Here’s the the video…..
