Manchester United and Celta Vigo have picked weakened teams in their league matches in search of back-door qualification for the Champions LeagueOlive branch of the week was handed out by Pep Guardiola after his side’s win over Crystal Palace, when the Manchester City manager said he hoped Manchester United would go all the way and win the Europa League because it would be amazing to have five English clubs in the Champions League next season.So it would, though looking around at the standard of competition in Europe, some are going to have to pull their socks up to make any more impression on the knockout stages than they managed this time. Monaco scored six goals against Manchester City, proceeding to...
José Mourinho has little to show from big away days, Vincent Kompany talks up the Pep Guardiola revolution, and Tony Pulis points to the bottom lineManchester United’s run of 25 unbeaten league games came to an end at Arsenal where José Mourinho once again set up his team with the focus on nullifying the opposition. Asking Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata to follow Arsenal’s wingbacks wherever they went meant sacrificing two of his most creative talents in an attempt to deny the Gunners control. This of course is the Mourinho way, to be reactive, to never make the first mistake, but against their direct rivals away from home it simply hasn’t worked: United have failed to score in 360 Premier...
Gunners’ engine has been malfunctioning for months in the absence of Santi Cazorla, but the Swiss provided cause for optimism against Manchester UnitedIt did not take long after Granit Xhaka’s arrival last summer for the jokes to start about how Arsenal would soon take that reputation for whacking in the odd long‑range goal and put a stop to it. An old-fashioned thump hardly fitted in with the Wenger-esque stereotype for walking the ball into the net, for twinkly, over‑elaborate approach play, for fluffy patterns instead of punchy power. Related: Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck rises high to finish off Manchester United Related: José Mourinho misses a trick for top four push with self-inflicted shunt Continue reading...
Manchester United’s manager was perfectly relaxed after Arsenal defeat but there is little doubt he missed an unexpected second chance to sneak into the top fourNever apologise, never explain. There is no doubt a view José Mourinho functions best when he is under pressure, when the vice begins to bite around his temples. This, though, was a self‑inflicted shunt a little further into a José-shaped corner.Mourinho was pointedly relaxed, unruffled, even jarringly smiley after this 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, massaging the debate around both United’s selection and also their lack of drive against a team they have traditionally spent 90 minutes trying to throttle. Related: Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck rises high to finish off Manchester United Related: Arsène Wenger’s decline drains...
José Mourinho hasn’t really mellowed, it’s just that his old enemy Arsène Wenger, whom he will face when Arsenal host Manchester United on Sunday, no longer seems a threatUnfortunately for Arsène Wenger, it is not necessarily a good sign that José Mourinho is no longer talking about him with a curled lip and the overwhelming sense that he has made it a personal mission to see how close he can push his old adversary towards the brink of spontaneous combustion.If it is true, as both managers have said over the last few days, that a truce has been called, it is some turnaround bearing in mind it is not so long ago that the two men could barely bring themselves...