Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has warned Red Devils players to go home and watch television if they were unable to resist the pressure ahead of the match against the Young Boys in the 2018/2019 Champions League fifth matchday. Man United will undergo a home match against the Young Boys in Wednesday (28/11) early morning hours. In the previous two Champions League matches at Old Trafford, Romelu Lukaku and his friends failed to score.
The Portuguese demands that his players prove they are capable of coping with the weight of expectation that comes with playing at Old Trafford.
If again failing to score then Man United will record a bad record by failing to find the opponent’s goal in front of their own supporters in three home matches on the European stage for the first time in the club’s histroy, but the Red Devils boss denied his players would rather play away from their own ground.
“I think it would be a lack of respect to the stadium and the fans to say we prefer playing away,” Mourinho said.
“If you ask me if I prefer to play at home against Young Boys or to go away to Bern, I prefer always to play at home,” he added.
“If you feel depressed, stay at home and when I say ‘home’ does not mean a stadium, but I mean in your own home and watch television,” Mourinho said as quoted by the Daily Mail.
The Red Devils’ appearance against Crystal Palace on Saturday (24/11) was one of the worst performance of Manchester United this season. Mourinho explained that the game had prepared tactics, but the players played different styles.
“I want the team to start the match by convincing and pressing the opponent, not waiting. Maybe you or the fan thinks Jose said to play slow and play well or wait for the opponent to react.”
“Actually what I want is the opposite. I want the team to start strong, I want the team to play fast and this is a bit frustrating,” said the coach who won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan.
In response to the match against the Swiss league champions, Mourinho wants his team to win and as soon as possible ensure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
“It’s not like a crucial match because if we can still hope if we don’t win. This is not a crucial game but I want to play like this is our last chance to qualify,” Mourinho said.
United remain well-placed to advance in Europe but Mourinho, who admitted his midfield lacks “aggression”, wants his side to shed their lethargy.
