Mourinho says Utd must be mentally stronger, plays down Pogba spat
|Published
LOOK: Paul Pogba stares at Jose Mourinho during a Manchester United training session on Wednesday. Photo: Screengrab via @SkySportsNews on Twitter LOOK: Paul Pogba stares at Jose Mourinho during a Manchester United training session on Wednesday. Photo: Screengrab via @SkySportsNews on Twitter
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said his side
needs to be mentally stronger after their League Cup third-round
defeat at home to Derby County on Tuesday.
United led after three minutes but needed an injury-time equalizer to
even force a penalty shoot-out, which they lost 8-7 with Phil Jones
missing from the spot.
Mourinho rued his side's inability to push home an advantage, as
happened last weekend when they drew 1-1 at home with Wolves in the
Premier League.
"I told the players that the result was open and we needed to close
it, but again we conceded one goal," Mourinho said of his half-time
team-talk.
Harry Wilson equalized with a stunning free-kick for Frank Lampard's
Derby side, and Jack Marriott headed them in front late on before
Jack Marriott forced the match to penalties.
"We went, in the first half, 40 minutes without scoring a goal and
then in the second half they started better than us," Mourinho said.
"Immediately after they equalized we were on top of it, we started
creating again, we were dangerous and why, after the 1-1, and then
why after the 2-1, even with one man less (after the sending-off of
goalkeeper Sergio Romero)...I think we need to educate ourselves to
being mentally stronger."
Mourinho acknowledged the quality of Wilson's free-kick but said he
knew United would struggle as the penalty shoot-out progressed.
"The penalty shoot-out is a lottery and we missed one," he said. "We
knew that if we go past the seventh we were going to be in trouble
with Jones, with Eric (Bailly)...not good penalty takers - but we
took it all well and we missed one."
Mourinho also played down his decision to demote Paul Pogba, who was
among those rested against Derby, from being vice-captain.
"I made the decision for Paul not to be the second captain anymore,
but there is no fall-out, no problems at all," he said.
"The same person that decides that Paul is not the second captain
anymore was exactly the same person that decides that Paul was the
second captain - myself.
"I am the manager, I can make these decisions. No fall-out at all, no
problems at all. Just one decision that I don't have to explain."