Jose complains of neck pain; discusses Mkhitaryan role
Jose Mourinho has explained why he chose to play Henrikh Mkhitaryan at left-back against Liverpool on Sunday.
United salvaged a late 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Old Trafford, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic cancelling out James Milner’s first-half penalty. You can read 16 Conclusions here.
The hosts were chasing a result for much of the game, with Milner opening the scoring after 27 minutes.
United battled to find an equaliser, and it came about after Mourinho’s second-half tactical switch.
The Portuguese introduced Marouane Fellaini in the 76th minute for Matteo Darmian, with Mkhitaryan replacing the Italian at left-back. United would equalise eight minutes later.
When an Italian journalist asked about Darmian’s role, Mourinho replied: “Do you want to buy him? Are you an agent? Do you work for the Italian federation?”
He continued: “When you have Antonio Valencia playing as a right winger you cannot defend with two players, you need that third player to give some cover inside and to keep some balances, and he [Darmian] did that well.
“But then losing, you take Darmian out and play Mkhitaryan left winger, covering a little bit and Valencia right winger, covering a little bit, and you risk everything.
Another plus for #mufc today is Darmian might not play at left-back again. Mkhitaryan is a better left-back than him.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 15, 2017
“But I was watching the game, we were losing, I was looking always to the same side – I have a problem with my neck because I was always looking to the left side – and I watched so many yellow guys in front of me I thought let’s go for it, let’s try.”