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