As it would turn out, the most incisive attack of Manchester United’s cold night in Brussels on Thursday would come not from the visitors’ expensively-assembled frontline but rather their manager, who aimed stinging post-match criticism at his forward players.
One goal on the night, Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s close-range effort from a rebound, was all that United could muster against Anderlecht
despite a performance of superiority. A late header handed Anderlecht an equaliser and a lifeline in the Europa League quarter-final first leg tie.
It is a familiar lament, and with just 19 goals in their last 11 games there is much for Mourinho to think about, especially with the visit of Chelsea tomorrow.
The Portuguese has tried to play down the importance of the clash with his former club, and, well he might. Mourinho is a manager who feigns nonchalance but is endlessly obsessed with people’s perception of him.
Building up a game against his former side, one who have improved so markedly since his departure, would be unwise given Antonio Conte’s men are such overwhelming favourites to pick up three more points in their title charge.
Last time they met, in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge, it was an emotionally-charged affair with touchline clashes, a red card and more joy for Conte’s Chelsea.
“You say that it was emotional… but for me,” Mourinho recalls, fooling absolutely no-one, “it was just a game.”
After a European night when Mourinho was frustrated by his side’s lack of killer instinct on the counter and the way his forward line repeatedly made poor decisions, the Portuguese cited Chelsea as a side who do things right – however much that pained him.
“It’s not for no reason that they are top of the league. It’s not just because they’re fresh but they have individual quality and they have collective quality. They have a certain style of play, they stick to it, they do it very well.
“Not every team defends with 11 players, they defend with 11 players. Not every team is objective in their counter-attacks. They are very
objective in their counter-attacks and they have individual players who, outside the context of the game, can cause problems.”
Chelsea will be rested after a week off and they will be looking to take a step closer to the league title. United, Mourinho admitted, will continue to throw everything they have at the race for the top four until it is “mathematically impossible”.
As it stands, the feeling remains that winning the Europa League may be their best chance of Champions League qualification given their frustrating tendency to turn wins into draws.
United have drawn 14 games this season, 10 of those 1-1 and six of those after leading 1-0. You can fairly say that they were unfortunate to be sucker-punched in Brussels
but when the sample size is much bigger it is not written off quite so easily.
God forbid anyone blame the coach but is it not his responsibility and that of his staff to improve these young forwards, teaching them when and where to make what decisions?
And what of his latest negative substitution, bringing on Marouane Fellaini for his most dangerous attacking player, Marcus Rashford, with 15 minutes to go?
United were suddenly shorn of their pace on the counter in
exchange for what should have been midfield reinforcement. But the Belgian international, whose every touch was met by a chorus of jeers, was nowhere to be seen as Leander Dendoncker ghosted in to net the equaliser five minutes from time.
Mourinho cannot afford to be so negative at Old Trafford tomorrow, playing against a side who are fresher, faster and stronger. Indeed, even a draw would feel insufficient as they hunt down Manchester City and Liverpool, but a tough fixture list suggests the top four may still be beyond them.
Conte also refused to give extra significance to tomorrow’s clash, saying his team were just focused on picking up another three points to maintain their lead at the top.
Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur are seven points adrift in their relentless pursuit of Chelsea, having picked up six consecutive league wins, and will look to provisionally close the gap to four points when they host Bournemouth today.
Conte reckons the title race will continue right until the end of the season.
“I think this game is like any other game and for us the most
important thing is the three points,” the Italian manager said yesteday.
“This (title) was our target at the start of the season… For sure the road is long and there are other teams who want to win the title and I think for this reason it will be until the end of the season.”
United are on a 21-game
unbeaten league run since losing 4-0 in October at Chelsea, who have the best away record in the league, having lost just twice in 16 games this season.
Liverpool, battling hard to secure a Champions League berth, still have big ambitions for this season but no specific Premier League points target, manager Juergen Klopp said ahead of tomorrow’s tricky visit to West Bromwich
Albion.
Sitting third in the table having played more games than the chasing Manchester clubs in fourth and fifth, Liverpool are on a six-match unbeaten run but have not won a league match at The Hawthorns since 2011.
“No, I don’t think about this (points target). The challenge of West Brom is big enough,” he told journalists. “West Brom have played an outstanding season. We know about their qualities.
“But we’ve nothing else to do, so we go there and we want to show again that we have really big targets this season. We want to go for it and we’ll really fight for the result.”
Central to the cause – as well as the team’s bid for the top-four finish that would guarantee Champions League football next season – will be midfielder Philippe Coutinho and striker Roberto Firmino.
The dynamic Brazilian duo have been directly involved in 31 of the club’s 68 goals this season and their latest contributions came last Saturday, when both came off the bench to score in a 2-1 away win over Stoke City.
“They had a big impact on the game… but the whole team played better in the second half,” Klopp said. “It’s about fitting in the game, fitting in the team.”
Injured midfielders Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson are ruled out of the trip to The Hawthorns but both are expected to return before the end of the season. – The Independent