Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has just completed his Friday press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brighton & Hove Albion. It was an extremely news worthy session, and it was about a whole lot more than the league fixture against the Seagulls. Mourinho gave some real meaningful answers when repeatedly pressed about his widely reported rift with Paul Pogba.
“The truth is we are together for two years and a couple of weeks and I’ve never been so happy with him as I am now, that’s the truth,” Mourinho responded Friday when asked about his relationship with his star midfielder, who he also said keep serving as captain as long as Antonio Valencia remains injured.
“I cannot demand more from him. I don’t care (about the potentially explosive comments Pogba made after the Leicester City win). I repeat, I want him to play well, I want him to play for the team, the fans, and that is what it is.”
“When he says he did it for the fans and for the team is exactly what I want, is exactly what I demand from my players.”
“He’s working well, playing well, he does it for the fans, he does for the team and that’s what I want, to play for the team and I couldn’t be happier than what I am.”
Mourinho was then asked a follow up question, specifically about Pogba’s highly scrutinized comments, and the manager essentially repeated his statements, adding that he doesn’t want to see any untruthful stories printed about his £89m man.
“I don’t care. I repeat, I want him to play well, I want him to play for the team, the fans, and that is what it is,” Mourinho continued.
“He’s working extremely well here but I have to say in his defence, write what you want about him, write what you want about me but please don’t say lies.”
“Don’t put him in a situation that people can think he’s not a polite, educated guy. He is. He never had a fight with me. We never had a heated or a change of words, everything is respected, I have no problems at all.”
Mourinho was pressed again on what Pogba may have meant by his mysterious comments, to which he then revealed the only player that he’s disciplined during his time at United- Anthony Martial. The Frenchman left United’s preseason tour of the USA to be home in France for the birth of his son, and missed right days of training.
“You have to ask Paul (what his intentions were with the comments). I’m here for two years and a couple of months and the only player that was fined was Anthony Martial, so it is not easy to be fined here.”
“You have to ask him. I’m not going to ask him. I want him to work the way he is doing and play the way he is doing and that’s all that matters.”
That’s an extremely interesting reveal there- as much as Mourinho has made negative remarks about Pogba, and Luke Shaw over the past couple of years, only Martial has actually been fined.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Injury, match fitness report: go to this link
Odds via Betway: MUFC 3/4 Draw 5/2 Brighton 4/1
Kickoff: 4 pm local on Sunday
Prediction: United 3, Brighton 2
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Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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