admin
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is targeting the second half of the season to build on the team’s recent improvement and launch a serious Premier League challenge.
United seem to be finding a groove and are now unbeaten in nine games in all competitions and within three points of fifth-placed Tottenham.
Although handicapped by a series of early draws, they improved their prospects with successive victories over Spurs and Crystal Palace and will make up further ground if they win at West Bromwich Albion this evening.
“Half-way through the race is not until December 31, and I would say for the first half of the race it would be almost impossible to be in the top four,” Mourinho told reporters yesterday.
“But, one thing is to be 15 points from the top four, another is to be five points from the top four.
“What we have to try to do in these three remaining matches (in December) is be in a position that gives us a chance in the second part of the season.
“We are playing really well. If we can transform performances into results, we have a chance.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been in outstanding form and has scored eight goals in eight games, including the late winner at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
“He is doing phenomenal,” Mourinho said.
“Tomorrow is a last effort, then a week without football. They need it, especially him. In some positions you can protect yourself. As a striker it is impossible to hide.”
After Saturday’s game, United do not play again until Boxing Day, and have home matches that week against strugglers Sunderland and Middlesbrough.
Looking beyond that, Mourinho said he was not desperate to sign anyone in the January transfer window.
“I like my squad, I trust my squad,” he said.
England defender Chris Smalling is back in contention for the first time since the end of October and although Eric Bailly cannot play against West Brom his injury is not serious.
United’s manager also had words of support for British managers like Saturday’s opposite number Tony Pulis, who he feels do not get the respect they deserve.
“If you manage big teams, you have targets impossible for Pulis, Pardew, Hughes, Moyes. British managers are not looked at like they should.”
Pulis’s Albion, the surprise team of the season, sit only one place behind United in seventh after Salomon Rondon’s hat-trick of headers beat Swansea City in midweek.
“The group really like him (Rondon) because of the effort he puts in,” Pulis said on Friday.
“You have to drag him in from training every day.
“United are on an unbeaten run and they deserve respect. I think they’ll finish in the top four.”
Former United defender Jonny Evans is an injury doubt.
Meanwhile, Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has performed so well that he has made himself virtually undroppable this season, according to manager Jose Mourinho.
The 35-year-old former Swedish international has found the net 14 times in all competitions for United this season after he joined from French champions Paris St Germain on a free transfer.
Ibrahimovic has also played in more matches than any of United’s other strikers this season, featuring in 24 of their 26 games so far, and will start up front in the Premier League clash with in-form West Bromwich Albion this evening.
“Is it almost impossible to leave him out? Yes, it is,” said Mourinho at the eve of match press conference yesterday.
“As a striker he is one of the impossible positions where you cannot hide.
“He is phenomenal and plays again tomorrow (Saturday) and then one week to rest.
“I am not surprised at all. I knew from the physical point of view he could resist but obviously he cannot play 60 matches.”
Mourinho, who enjoyed a good relationship with Ibrahimovic at Inter Milan when he was in charge there, said he would need to rest him but he was such an integral part of the side it was hard to omit him.
“I must give him a rest. I must leave him out a game,” said Mourinho.
“He was suspended against Arsenal. So that game he did not play.
“In some matches in the Europa League he was on the bench, also against Northampton (in the EFL Cup).
“So now and again I will find him a way to give him a rest.
“But as our target striker we can see he is the only one. And the way we normally play we need him.”
Mourinho said Ibrahimovic is also a great example to United’s youngsters with the manner in which he conducts himself in matches and on the training ground.
“He is a great example in every aspect he is very professional,” said the 53-year-old Portuguese.
“Great also with his family life and on keeping his family life the most positive and private.
“He is a great example in everything and when you have him and Michael Carrick at 35 the kids could not have better examples.”
Mourinho’s West Brom counterpart Tony Pulis is presently the highest placed British manager in the Premier League with his side seventh, four points behind United in sixth.
Mourinho believes British managers do not get the recognition they deserve for their achievements compared to him and other big name foreign managers now in charge of Premier League clubs.
“In English football there are different kinds of profiles,” he said.
“Tony (Pulis) got trophies everywhere in every club.
“He was not relegated with Stoke, it’s a trophy. He was not relegated with West Brom, it’s another trophy. Not relegated with Palace it’s another trophy. And so on, and so on.
“So he has lots of trophies. By trophies I mean reach the target and he did that.
“Like some, never relegated, that is a big trophy.
“You are not expecting some of the clubs he manages to be the champion. So for me, yes, English (sic) managers are not looked at as they should be.”
— Reuters-AFP.
Online Reporter