The crisis at Manchester United seems to be going from bad to worse, and despite the fact that it is telling on the team’s performances, there doesn’t seem like an end is in sight. French Midfielder Paul Pogba was stripped of the vice-captaincy following the side’s 1-1 draw at home to Wolves and Coach Jose Mourinho responded to last weekend’s defeat to West Ham by claiming: ‘some care more than others.’
While Mourinho insists that ‘some care more than others’, he believes ‘everybody’ at United has had a part to play in their dismal start to the campaign. ‘It’s a collective thing, the reason why we don’t win is the responsibility of everybody, the performance on the pitch in my opinion is the consequence of many factors,’ Mourinho said ahead of United’s Champions League clash with Valencia.
In the heat of the crisis with Pogba, Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez, Eric Bailly and Andreas Pereira are all understood to have backed Pogba given Mourinho stand of publicly criticizing and ridiculing his players which is widely seen as Mourinho’s way of deflecting attention from his failings. This has resulted in yet another player, skipper Antonio Valencia, being involved in a bust-up with the coach.
Team Captain Antonio Valencia is reported to be barely on speaking terms with Jose Mourinho like several of other United’s top stars have fallen out with Mourinho this season. Reports suggests that Valencia has stopped talking to his manager after Mourinho criticised the Ecuadorian for not turning up to watch United’s Carabao Cup clash with Derby. The Portuguese expected his club captain to be in the stands at Old Trafford as Frank Lampard’s side knocked United out of the competition. Valencia was subsequently omitted from Mourinho’s 18-squad for the trip to the London Stadium.
Mourinho questioned Valencia’s fitness levels after the right-back’s performances on the Red Devils’ pre-season tour of the United States. ‘Antonio Valencia came from holiday, I think too much holiday for him,’ Mourinho told MUTV at the end of July. ‘His condition was not good when he came back. [He has an] injury, and also has to go back.’
Manchester United go into tonight’s UEFA Champion’s League game on the back of a nightmare week which saw bad results on the pitch and bust-ups off it. The club has the chance to put an end to their poor run of form when Valencia visit Old Trafford tonight. But this recent development with his team captain, may further cripple the team.
The Manchester giants go into the game with a win in their first Champions League game after cruising to victory away at Swiss side Young Boys and will be hoping for another three points against Valencia. But Mourinho will have to without several senior players as Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard, Marcos Rojo and Ashley Young are all out of the game.
