United boss reiterates desire to rest players for Arsenal tie

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has once again claimed that he will be rotating his squad for the weekend’s Premier League tie with Arsenal.

The Gunners host the Red Devils at the Emirates in the Sunday evening kick-off, in what could have a huge bearing on the race for the top-four. Despite the importance of the match-up, United are supposedly looking at weakening his side, with a view to concentrating on the Europa League instead.

The Portuguese is known for his mind-games, and this may well prove to be one of those times, but he has now insisted on two separate occasions that he will not be fielding a full strength XI for the upcoming match.

The Red Devils will surely be looking at defending their unbeaten run, which is currently a club record 25 league games, but Mourinho claims his eyes are on the prize of Europa League glory, which would assure Champions League football for next season also.

He said: “The players that are in accumulation, the players that are with lots of minutes because we played nine matches in April and this one, so 10 matches in four-and-a-half weeks.

“The players that are in accumulation, they are not going to play next weekend.”

The former Chelsea boss went onto admit that his side put in a good display for Thursday night’s opening leg of their semi-final, and they deserved more than the 1-0 scoreline.

“Sergio (Alvarez, Celta goalkeeper) had a couple of very important saves and the way we started the game and controlled the game in the first half, I think we deserve a better result,” Mourinho added.

“But the opponent was difficult, the match was difficult, the stadium was difficult, so I cannot be happier with the players and their work.

“1-0 is really a short result. It could have been better, and seeing Celta’s trajectory in the Europa League, they definitely deserve respect for the away match.”

Jose was then asked his views on young star Marcus Rashford, who scored the only goal of the game.

He replied: “He worked really hard and created them problems. He had a fantastic shot in the first half with that beautiful save.

“Then the free-kick is work – he works every day, he loves to work.

“Sometimes training session finishes for the group and he keeps doing his individual work with my assistant.

“The free-kick is really well taken and I think the goalkeeper has no chance because the ball is really fast.”

Will Mourinho really rest players against us? Surely it’s just one of his mind games?

Pat J

Tags Arsenal Man United Mourinho

21 Comments

  1. They would rest players and still end up beating/drawing us….we are pathetic!
    .
    Nuff said….

    1. Who is this Jembutarsene
      Did he just appear, is he Sam P in disguise is he even a fan or is Just Arsenal him all over

      Reading his comments I refuse to believe anyone it that stupid so he must be a spurs fan

      1. It’s Arsene, probably scrolling through via free Arsenal FC wifi as he is too cheap to subscribe to Vodafone

        1. Ask 100 random people and you will get at least 50+ different opinions going from flop to top and all what is in between. The only opinion that really is of importance is the opinion of a manager.
          Not the opinion of some journalists and not even of us supporters or fans.

          RESPECT ARSENE.

          1. The only opinion that really is of importance is the opinion of a manager.

            Right, and if you replace the word ‘manager’ with a ‘dictator’, then you have the essential truth of dictatorship.

            A manager is nothing without fans, nothing. Arsenal FC made Arsene, not the other way around. You can’t replace fandom, it’s the Foundation of any sports club. A manager is just someone who works for the club. If he can’t deliver, then it’s taxi time for him. And someone else is brought in to deliver.

            Wenger’s lives are up.

            1. As Remi Garde said when he went back to his former hunting ground to watch an Arsenal match and reflected on the difficult situation around his old boss, Wenger. “He is an unbelievable guy. It is difficult for me to imagine the end. I don’t know when that will be. I can say only he inspired me, the way I manage, the way I behave in life as well. I am sad to read the criticism of him and the bad words, because he committed the last 20 years to the club he loves so much.”

              ‘The vast majority of critics will never quite understand the life of a manager. “It’s a job that if you have not experienced it, it is very hard to understand. The problems are coming from different angles, coming everywhere. But it is because it is difficult that we love to do it. When you win a game, when you win a trophy, when you see young players come to the first team that you might have given a little bit of help to, it’s a very good feeling. You are always suffering for these short periods of happiness.

              This comes from our ex player that sweat the blood and tears for our glory. Where were you then, eh? Probably still sucking your mom’s nipples.

      2. I actually think Sam P has a more logical way of thinking than you. He definitely has better grammar lol. Come on we know your Arse

      3. There has to be organisation set up in the management of the football affairs of the club. We need a proper Board and CEO not rubber stamps.
        They feel that they deserve better and when they do not get it, understandably, they feel resentful and bitter. I do not blame or criticize them, provided that they also allow those of us who do not believe everything is as bleak as they think, to have and express our views and accept the for what they are, the views of people who love the club just as much as they do.,

        Possibly, those of us who have supported the club since well before the AW reign might understand more easily the privilege that we have enjoyed over the last 21 years. There must be a midway between total negativity, which now rules so many committed supporters, and acquiescing to what some deem as constant failure. You have asked for ideas for solutions to the problem, which, I am afraid I cannot suggest. I am, however, convinced, that the moment AW perceives that he can do nothing further, he will stop.

        Get behind the team.

    2. We all know what’s going to happen in that match, it’s a MOVIE we’ve seen over and over again not only against United but many other Top teams, I can still remember what an Unknown Rashford did to us last season.. we will be lucky If we get a draw in that fixtures, Pathetic coach and players… MXM..

      1. ***ADMIN COMMENT****
        None of you are anything to do with me, but if you carry on with the personal insults you will be banned. Try using a bit of decorum….

  2. This is pure mind games by Mourinho. It is ultimately a win, win situation for him. If UTD don’t get a positive result, he has the ready made back up excuse of he was resting players/ player suffering from fatigue to fall back on. At the same time, he puts the pressure squarely on Wenger by raising the expectation that Arsenal should get a result.

    However, did you see the who was on the bench against Celta Vigo?

    On the bench UTD had:
    de Gea
    Mata
    Rooney
    Martial
    Smalling
    Carrick
    Young

    These were all rested last night and are (save Rooney) first team players. Mourinho will field a strong fresh team at the Emirates, make no mistake about it. And lastly but by no means least, the egotistic Mourinho will want to protect his impeccable record that he has against Wenger.

    Personally I have a bad, bad feeling about this tie.

    1. You are right, Maurinho enjoys making Wenger his b***h, he comes, he beats him inside out, goes out the country for some few years, comes back and beats him inside out as usual, that’s how he enjoys playing Arsenal

  3. Mind games, my butt.

    This may be a good chance to beat them if Arsenal play like Arsenal can.

    COYG.

  4. Vanpayslip thought of the day: Ask Arsene, he ain't understanding this, cuz 99% of AKBs don't exist says:

    Wenger still won’t beat him

    1. Yeah, how many of you then last time of protest?

      Below 10 friggin’s fools?

      Pathetic. Get behind the team.

      1. Vanpayslip thought of the day: Ask Arsene, he ain't understanding this, cuz 99% of AKBs don't exist says:

        ***ADMIN COMMENT****
        None of you are anything to do with me, but if you carry on with the personal insults you will be banned. Try using a bit of decorum….

  5. Shame on you naive fans that still confused that the cowardly board are having any impact on what’s happening on the pitch, that’s ok, but I happen to think there’s a direct correlation between those people and the fact that despite more money and greater resources we have become less competitive. People speak about the players being in a comfort zone, well so too is the manager because he knows he’s got nothing to worry about from Gazidis, while Kroenke is so basically clueless as to be not worth considering.

    These men inherited a cash cow, a shiny new stadium, and they think that’s an achievement to be proud of. The reality is fans take pride in what their team does on the pitch, not how well the balance sheets look or how many washing machine partners we have.

    **ADMIN** And no swearing either!

  6. JEMBITARSENE

    Is something do with admin as my posts about him get deleted

    ***ADMIN COMMENT****
    None of you are anything to do with me, but if you carry on with the personal insults you will be banned. Try using a bit of decorum….

  7. hey jambuttarsen, its okay mate, we got this , right !.i would hate to have to be paying you by the word mate, seems to me you clearly have an amazing grasp of the english language .

Comments are closed

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