José Mourinho believes this month’s demanding fixture list will serve as motivation to Manchester United and provide valuable insight into the quality of his squad.
The United manager has complained a schedule that involves Premier League trips to Liverpool and Chelsea plus Old Trafford cup ties against Fenerbahce and Manchester City in the space of 10 days represents “a poisoned gift”. However, Mourinho insists the challenge must also inspire United, and will help in his analysis of the players’ potential.
Mourinho explained: “Every game is always massive. Watford was massive, we lost three points, the same as we did against Manchester City. There was no difference. Every game for me is important but we have some big opponents in October and that is also motivation. I need time to see players in different circumstances. There is always so much to learn about the players when you come to a new club. It takes a long time to know them well. For the first few months there is always a surprise behind the door.
“I find out more about my players with every game. I’d like to see them more often to find out more. I planned to give Memphis [Depay] 20 minutes [against Zorya Luhansk] but I couldn’t. We need the squad, that’s for sure. The Europa League is a competition that disturbs more than domestic competitions, because you play Thursdays and it’s difficult.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is fit for Sunday’s home game against Stoke City having recovered from a thigh injury and Luke Shaw should be available after missing Thursday’s Europa League win over Zorya through illness.
Mark Hughes’s team have taken only two points from six Premier League games to languish second from bottom of the table. But Mourinho claimed: “Stoke is not what the table says. The manager is good, the players are good, the team is good. When I look at the table, that’s not Stoke’s true position. I know I will be playing against a good Stoke, not a team at the bottom of the table. I am sure that by the end of May they will be back in their usual area in the table. They will be there.”
