Jose Mourinho has claimed that Tottenham’s 6-1 win at Manchester United was out of touch with “reality.”
Tottenham inflicted United’s joint heaviest Premier League defeat when they met at Old Trafford last October and it left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under pressure and Spurs being tipped for the title.
Now United will be out for revenge while Tottenham need a result to make a push for a place in the top four as they have suffered differing fortunes in the past six months of a bizarre season.
But Mourinho insists that game was no a real reflection of where the two clubs are going and is expecting a much tougher game at White Hart Lane.
(Image: ALEX LIVESEY/AFP via Getty Images)
“I believe that 6-1 doesn’t reflect the reality. It can happen. Of course it can happen, between two great, the results they can happen in an isolated way. I go much more in the direction of the other two previous matches between us and United,” said Mourinho.
“We lost 2-1 at Old Trafford, with the penalty, and we draw 1-1 at home last season, also with a penalty. I think this is more the reality. We are not far from each other so I think it is going to be a difficult match for both.
“If Solskjaer is going to use that result I don’t know. If it was the opposite. If it was my team losing 6-1 to them I would just say to my guys that it happened once and it’s not going to happen twice.
“This doesn’t reflect the reality. The game is going to be tight and we can win, but I don’t know, maybe Solskjaer has different things. “
Mourinho clearly had a point to make about United getting two penalties but insisted he was not worried about a repeat this time.
“I cannot go to a football match concerned,” Mourinho said. “I can’t. I don’t think it’s the right frame of mind to go to a football match concerned. So I’m not going to be concerned. And I don’t want my players.
(Image: PA)
“They have to go to a football match with positive feelings, enjoying the game, enjoying the dimension and the difficulty of the game. Coping with the responsibility. Coping with the pressure, good pressure. So that’s what I want.
“I want to be positive and happy to play against such a giant club, and such a good team. And of course with the ambition to win the points, because the points, when the game starts, the points are going to be there on the grass, and we are going to play for the points.”
Mourinho refused to revisit his post-match criticism of his team’s draw at Newcastle when he made his “same coach, different players” jibe after their defensive mistakes cost them victory at St James’s Park but was clearly riled by the media analysis of his comments.
However, Mourinho was in a hurry to finish his press conference and play in a staff game but did make one more barb about Tottenham not being able to afford the biggest wages after Kevin De Bruyne signed a new deal and Manchester City’s wage bill was revealed as £351m-a-year.
(Image: REUTERS)
Mourinho added: “If Kevin signed contract of x million I would love him to sign a contract of three times x million. Fantastic player. If Pep – or any of the coaches of the top teams – has x million to spend good for them, no problems. I enjoy to work in my club.
“I enjoy to do what we are doing and I am not jealous of the ones that can do other things. I would love my players to get the same contract as David de Gea or Kevin De Bruyne. I would love them to get that money.”
