Mourinho ‘showed’ Poch ‘who was boss on the big stage’

Matt Stead

Alan Shearer believes Jose Mourinho “showed” Mauricio Pochettino “who was boss on the big stage” on Saturday.

Manchester United beat Tottenham 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final at the weekend, coming from one goal down to win at Wembley.

Tottenham will now go at least a decade without winning a trophy despite their continued improvement under Pochettino.

Many questions have been asked of the manager in the aftermath – including in 16 Conclusions – and Shearer is riding that same wave of criticism.

The pundit believes that Mourinho taught the younger man at lesson.

‘Tottenham’s FA Cup semi-final capitulation to Manchester United may well prove to be a significant watershed moment for the club,’ Shearer wrote in his column for The Sun.

‘Saturday pretty much encapsulated Spurs – they are just not good enough.

‘Much has been talked about Mauricio Pochettino but Jose Mourinho showed him who was boss on the big stage.

‘When the players look to the sidelines they saw one manager who has won nothing and one who is a serial winner.

‘Mourinho managed the game superbly.

‘He was raging after the first 20 minutes but gradually orchestrated a turnaround.

‘He got Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic closer to Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembele to give them no space.

‘He had Chris Smalling and Phil Jones drilled not to allow Spurs striker Harry Kane a chance.

‘He also got the big call spot on in playing Alexis Sanchez, who emerged as man of the match.

‘And Pochettino got his own big call wrong again. He stuck with his second-choice goalkeeper Michel Vorm – because he had played in Tottenham’s previous cup games – but would France captain Hugo Lloris not have got to Herrera’s winning goal, which went in the middle of the net?

‘Forget about a shift of power in North London. Even with the demise of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have continued to give their fans days to remember.

‘Three FA Cups in four years and maybe now a Europa League as well.

‘It is sad – but I fear Spurs have missed the boat.

‘This group of players needed something to show for this period in the club’s history.

‘But when you have a manager who does not talk up the domestic cups as a contest, it is little wonder they don’t win them.’