“We do not have that physicality”: Jose Mourinho blames Liverpool defeat on Manchester United players’ intensity

Categories: Football | Published by: AC

17/12/2018

Updated: 28/01/2023

Jose Mourinho has blamed his players’ lack of physicality and intensity for Manchester United falling so far behind Liverpool.

United recorded their worst start to a Premier League season with a defeat to rivals Liverpool which left them in sixth place on 26 points, after 17 games. It was also the first time United have faced as many as 36 shots in a single Premier League match in a horror afternoon for the club.

Physical issues

Read more: Manchester United's waking nightmare continues at Anfield

“We have lots of problems related to physicality,” Mourinho insisted. “There are qualities you cannot improve make them have. [Liverpool’s] Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, Georginio Wijnaldum, Naby Keita, Fabinho, they are physical players, on top of that they are good technically; I have lots of good players technically but we do not have that intensity or physicality.”

Mourinho added: “We have lots of players that I could consider with injury problems, because some of our players are always injured and is not with me, was before me, if you look to the stats with Mr Van Gaal and David Moyes, we had players that are permanently injured, when you are permanently injured that physicality is difficult to get.”

Mourinho’s side are already eight points behind fifth-place Arsenal, 11 away from the Champions League places and a staggering 19 away from Liverpool, who moved ahead of Manchester City and back to the top of the table with the three points.

Champions League aspirations

Manchester United's manager Jose Mourinho gestures on the touchline against Liverpool (AFP/Getty Images)

Read more: Liverpool vs Manchester United: Player ratings

Mourinho, nonetheless, insisted that United can still qualify for the Champions League.

“We can still finish fourth,” he said. “It’s not easy. For sure we are going to finish in the top six. Best we can get is fourth. Now we look to the fifth and then later the fourth. We will still finish in the top six like all the other historically top teams.”

“I know that we lost some other matches but we played Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City away, probably the three best teams apart from Tottenham, but we play away and I think we have more possibility to get more points in the second half of the season than the first.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “It was one of the best performances we’ve had since I’ve been at Liverpool.”

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Original source: https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-players-blame-liverpool-physicality/