Mourinho Faces The Press After Agonising Liverpool Defeat

Manchester United were made to suffer further pain and disappointment as they were defeated 3-1 by their biggest rivals Liverpool on Sunday. United fought hard and gave their all on the pitch but they were simply no match for the intensity, physicality and quality of the Liverpool side.

It must be mentioned that luck surely did play its part in the outcome of the game as the second and third goals they conceded were heavily deflected which gave United goalkeeper David De Gea no chance in stopping the ball from hitting the back of the net. In his post-match interviews United manager Jose Mourinho commented on this touch of fortune.

If you want to speak about fortune, then speak about their second and third goals. Our goal was a good move by the side, I think [Romelu] Lukaku got in the space behind the full-back with a good cross and then Jesse [Lingard] arrived in a dangerous position and the goalkeeper made, what I used to call, half of a mistake. To speak about luck and goals we have to speak about the second and third goals.

The situation for United is now becoming increasingly desperate with every week that goes by. The under immense pressure United manager stated that it would be absurd for United to even consider winning the title this season however he is still confident that United can secure fourth place which is crucial in order for United to compete on a European level in the UEFA Champions League next season.

We can still finish fourth. It’s not easy, but for sure we are going to finish in the top six like all the other historically top teams but the best we can get is the fourth position. Right now we need to look to fifth and probably later we can look to the fourth.

Mourinho commented on how his team is battered with injuries, but he emphasised that even though this is a factor which is contributing towards their poor performances, it is not an excuse.

In these circumstances, [Matteo] Darmian trained for one day to play, [Diogo] Dalot trained one day to play, [Victor] Lindelof trained one day to play, [Anthony] Martial trained one day to play. All week, we didn't know who was going to play. All week we didn't know who was available and not available. In the last minute, even [Chris] Smalling was not ready to play. But the Smalling one is not an excuse at all because I think [Eric] Bailly played very, very well. I think it was a distraction, but Eric coped very, very well with it. He had a great focus and a great concentration. It was not at all because of that emergency change why we lost the game.

Week after week things seem to be going from bad to worse for United, and fans across the globe are angry, frustrated, sad, livid and furious about the way the team they love so much ended up in such a dark hole and can’t seem to find their way out ever since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Some of the recent performances and results have been so dreadful that they have left many of us United fans hopeless and without the ability to imagine how United are ever going to get back to their winning ways.

Can there be a significant turn of events? Is there any hope left for this devastated United team? Or is there no option left but to sack Mourinho and start afresh?

Only time will tell.

Is Mourinho's Time Running Out?

Manchester United failed to secure a Premier League win for the fourth game in a row after they drew 2-2 against their rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The pressure on United’s iconic manager Jose Mourinho is rising exponentially and there are rumours in the media saying that if the Red Devils do not achieve a positive result against Fulham on Saturday then he could be sacked on Monday.

United’s performance on Wednesday was much better than the ones seen in previous matches. There was more passion, the players showed more desire to fight, and there was an overall improvement in spirit. This was particularly evident in the performance of Ander Herrera who was hungry to make an impact. He chased every ball and was determined to make life difficult for the opponent. Marcus Rashford’s intense and fiery performance was also one to be applauded.

Nonetheless, this increase in appetite was not enough for the Reds to quench their thirst for victory. For the umpteenth time this season United were made to pay the price for the numerous sloppy errors they committed which resulted in them conceding cheap goals and ultimately costing them the three points. 

Everyone makes mistakes, but at this level when you are competing against top class players you are ought to be punished when you make such reckless errors. The problem with United is that these mistakes aren’t a one off occurrence, but they are happening every week and this is highly upsetting the fans and causing big problems for the club.

It would be unfair to say that all of this is Mourinho’s fault. The poor attitude of certain players, the lack of support the club owners showed Mourinho in the transfer window and also bad luck have all played their part in leading United into this mess. However, with all the money that Mourinho has spent, and all the time he’s had to form his team, one has to say that much better results and performances are expected and he has to therefore shoulder his responsibility.

In his blog entry Jordan Street said:

Just when you think the axe is about to be wielded, he seems to pull a big performance out from somewhere, which buys him some more time. However, after two poor draws in a row, you get the feeling that if he follows that up with another poor result, he could be out of a job.

Saturday's encounter with Fulham could be Mourinho’s last chance to put an end to this horrendously dark spell and start bringing the glory days back to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils Suffer Further Disappointment

Manchester United failed to secure three points in the Premier League for the second time in a row on Saturday. The Reds drew 2-2 at Southampton and are now eight points below their desired 'Top 4' position after yet another demoralising display. 

It has frustratingly become the norm for United to start their matches on the wrong foot and this was seen again on Saturday as they were already two goals down after 20 minutes.

It could be argued that the disruption in their defence options due to injuries contributed to the shakiness at the back. Yet this is still not enough to excuse the sloppiness in the manner decisive goals are being conceded. As Manchester United fans we are accustomed to watching world class football and we are now finding it difficult to classify our team’s efforts as average.

As described by Nathan Quao in his blog post, the football at times has been pathetic. Too many errors are being made by too many different players. The players at times are finding it difficult to get the basics right. Yet again we have witnessed a United side who seem lost in the pitch, confused, lacking the hunger to win, short of desire, and with insufficient aggression.

It is very upsetting watching players of one’s favourite club go about their business in a Premier League match as if there is nothing on the line. Until Lukaku’s goal late in the first half, Southampton looked hungrier, better, and more willing to fight.

Later in the first half the Reds responded with two goals from Romelu Lukaku and Ander Herrera. However, despite managing to level the score the reds were not able to completely turn the score around and achieve victory. United have been making several good comebacks lately but the question many are asking is: Why do they need to concede goals in order to start performing? If they ever aspire to be a title contending team again United need to maintain high performance levels from the very first minute till the end, and not begin to fight back after too much damage has already been inflicted.

The pressure on the manager Jose Mourinho continues to rise as the situation at Old Trafford becomes more and more desperate.

Frustrated Mourinho

Welcome to The United Sphere!

Welcome to The United Sphere!

My name is Liam Caruana, I am 24 and I have set up this blog as part of my university studies in communications.

I have been passionate about football (particularly Manchester United Football Club) ever since I was a child. I come from a family of football fanatics. I watch their matches every week with my Dad and I follow them on their TV station MUTV, their official website and on social media. 

As the title suggests, this blog aims to guide you through the world of Manchester United Football Club. Weekly, the blog will be highlighting news articles regarding Manchester United and providing analysis, commentary, discussion and/or reflection on what is being said in the media.

This blog comes at a difficult time for the club as the results have been negative, the performances have been poor and the pressure is high. Nevertheless, I feel that this current scenario will make this blog more relevant and enticing.

I hope you enjoy the time you spend on this blog and feel free to join in the discussion by commenting or sending an e-mail with your views and thoughts.