Mourinho refers to ‘poisoned gift’ after win over Zorya

Manchester United have been given a “poisoned gift” of a fixture
schedule when the Europa League resumes, yet Jose Mourinho
will not allow any let-up when Fenerbahce arrive in between
clashes with Liverpool and Chelsea.
A fortnight on from losing their Group A opener at Feyenoord, the
United manager highlighted the importance of securing victory
against relatively unknown Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford.
The Ukrainians made life tough but Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s close-
range header secured a 1-0 win, kick-starting a campaign that
continues in October at home to Fenerbahce.
The Turkish giants arrive three days after United travel to rivals
Liverpool for a fascinating Monday night Premier League clash,
with the Europa League clash bookended by Mourinho’s first
return to Chelsea on the Sunday.
“Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play
Liverpool on the Sunday,” the United manager said. “We play
Liverpool on the Monday.
“So maybe we don’t have the best conditions, especially because
we play against two top Premier League games that don’t play in
European competitions.
“We had this kind of poisoned gift of playing on the Monday. That
creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try and qualify for
the next round. We want to try.
“(There is a) long time to go, almost a month, but we want to try,
so we will play against Fenerbahce with a team with possibilities
to beat Fenerbahce.”
Asked if he tried to get the Liverpool games moved back from
Monday or whether that was impossible, he said: “I think it is
impossible.
“The poisoned gift is already there, so what can you do? We just
have to play Monday, and then Thursday, and then Stamford
Bridge on the Sunday.
“But before that we have Stoke (this Sunday), so let us concentrate
on Stoke because it is another poisoned gift because Stoke is not
what the table says.
“The manager is very good, the players are good, the team is good,
so when I look to the table, that’s not Stoke’s position.
“I play against a good Stoke and not the Stoke in that position in
the table.”
United will be looking for a fourth straight win in all competitions
when Mark Hughes’ side arrive at Old Trafford on Sunday
lunchtime.
Mourinho accepts they did not play “amazingly well” against Zorya
but got the job done, saying he was impressed with Wayne
Rooney’s impact after coming off the bench for a second
successive match.
“He was laughing and saying he made a great assist,” the United
boss said, regarding his strike into the ground which led to
Ibrahimovic’s winner. “But, really, he gave me what the team needs at that time, which is
a presence, a second presence in the box.
“He is more a striker than Juan (Mata) and Juan went more to the
right side.

“(Anthony) Martial brought, after the goal, freshness and speed,
also to try to kill the game, which we didn’t but he was a positive
presence, too.

“We started the game with a very good team and I had on mm
bench also players to give me solutions for everything.

“We have proof to win matches in the Europa League that we need
to be good, we need to play seriously because they are good
teams.”

Source- Man United blog

     * I love to put up posts about this man (Mourinho),  cause, he is the only coach i believe is loved by many, and at the same time, a lot of people dislike he,-reason for disliking him?  They call him a loquacious man,