We knew this back on December 10, after the result of the Manchester Derby, but today Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho publicly said what most of us have known for the past couple months already- Manchester City will win the Premier League title this season.
When Mourinho met reporters today to preview tomorrow’s Premier League fixture at home versus Huddersfield Town (video here at this link), it was a very consequential and information filled session. In addition to updates on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marouane Fellaini, Mourinho admitted his side likely won’t be catching City for the title this season.
Mourinho told his news conference on Friday: “We need points to be the first of the last. We have to try to finish second. We are in this position all season; we were first for a few weeks and then we were always second.”
“The fight is open for second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth but is practically closed for the first.”
Second place United are 15 points behind City, with only 13 games left to play. The time has come for United supporters to stop looking up and instead look below, as they are only three points up on Chelsea for the fourth and final Champions League qualification slot.
Asked how he felt about the fact that United are out of title consideration with three months and change still left in the season, Mourinho responded:
“They are doing so, so well, that they are not letting the others come close. It’s as simple as that. With the number of points and improvement in relation to last season, the distance would be a distance that leaves the fight open.
“I cannot say we, Tottenham or Chelsea are doing bad because the points we have are very reasonable, but Manchester City started strong, and kept doing strong, and managed to win matches they didn’t deserve, I give credit, with that last push of the last-minute goal, the winning goal in extra time.”
“If you tell me all six want to be champion, and only one will be and the other five fail, I think it is too pragmatic a way to look at it, because you can do positive work and not winning the title.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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