Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho became the first United boss ever to win a trophy during his season on the job. The Red Devils triumphed 3-2 over Southampton at Wembley Stadium in London tonight, getting two goals, including the game winner, from striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic and Mourinho have won silverware everywhere that they have gone together. Today the trend continued and Mourinho hailed Ibra as the MVP during his postgame interview with Sky Sports.
Man United Twitter certainly did as well.
“I think, honestly, he won the game for us,” Mourinho said.
“He was outstanding in a match where our opponent was better than us for long periods of the game. I think they deserved to go to extra time. I am a bit emotional. It is not easy to win titles so many times — there is pressure I have put myself under throughout my career.
“The cup is for the players. My last cup here, with Chelsea against Tottenham, was emotional too.”
“It’s special. And if I don’t get emotional, then it is time to go home.”
Mourinho also gave credit to Southampton for the game effort they displayed as heavy underdogs. The smaller club from the south coast just as easily could have won this match and this tournament (they may have gotten hosed on this specific call).
“We have so much to play for, and I could see today the difference in freshness between one team and the other,” Mourinho continued.
“I think that if we had gone to extra time we could have been in trouble. The fuel was in their legs, not in our legs.”
Indeed United do have a lot left to play for still. They’re in the race for a top four finish and a Champions League berth, as well as the FA Cup quarter-finals and Europa League round of 16. They could still achieve a so-called “plastic treble.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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