Jose Mourinho must have known managing Manchester United was going to be no easy task, but he certainly wouldn’t have predicted the week he’s just had.
Defeats to Manchester City and Feyenoord were compounded by a 3-1 loss at Watford on Sunday, bringing many of the Special One’s decisions into sharp focus.
Never one for introspection, Mourinho was quick to shift the blame after his side were undone by the Hornets – despite many of United’s problems stemming from his tactics and team selection.
Luke Shaw was on the receiving end of the Portuguese’s wrath, shouldering the blame for Watford’s second goal. Admittedly, the left-back should have been closer to his man instead of backing off, but the Times have now revealed that he was carrying a groin injury.
Mourinho failed to mention that in his post-match interview, telling the Mirror:
“Amrabat receives the ball and our left-back (Shaw) is 25 metres from him instead of five metres. But even at 25 metres, you have to jump and go and press, but no, we wait.”
United players were reportedly shocked by the manager’s treatment of Shaw, who is understandably still fragile after his horrific leg break last season.
The fact he was forced to play through the pain at all seems ridiculous enough, but for Mourinho not to even acknowledge it won’t have gone down well in the dressing room.
Mourinho is treading a tightrope at Old Trafford. He wasn’t a popular choice among many United fans to begin with, and if the Red Devils don’t beat Leicester next week, he could be facing the kind of pressure he did at Chelsea last season.
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