LONDON: Jose Mourinho hit out at both the referee and Manchester United’s mentality after his side were outplayed and deservedly defeated by West Ham at the London Stadium.
Coming into the match, all the focus was on the United boss’ relationship with his French midfielder Paul Pogba; following the final whistle it is now on his relationship with the entire dressing room.
The Reds looked disjointed and clueless, without any spark. The defeat means the club has equaled its worst start to a league season after seven games since 1989-90. Such was the abject nature of the display that the Portuguese’s future at the Old Trafford club now hugely in doubt.
United’s third defeat of the Premier League season came courtesy of a fifth-minute Anderson goal, a Andriy Yarmolenko strike which deflected off Victor Lindelof for an own goal, and a neat finish from Marko Arnautovic. It was no less than the industrious hosts deserved. A Marcus Rashford goal at 2-0 gave the visitors hope, but for no more than three minutes until Arnautovic’s winner.
For all West Ham’s adventure and poise, however, there was no mistaking that Mourinho’s men looked anything but title contenders — something which after this result they almost definitely are no more.
But rather than address the clear problems in the dressing room, the United boss hit out at everyone bar himself.
“When we scored the goal to come into the game, they scored right after and this was the referee mistake because there was a foul on Rashford before,” Mourinho said. “I can have complaints with quality and mental approach. You have to try always and that is my nature.”
With every poor result and every poor display — and it is as much the latter as the former that has seemingly been bothering both United players and fans — it becomes clear that Mourinho has lost the dressing room.
Last week Pogba was openly critical of his boss’ tactics, and the feeling is the French World Cup winner speaks on behalf of his teammates. Mourinho sides have always tended to be solid rather than stylish, but at least they looked like they worked towards a plan. At the London Stadium, United lacked both style and cohesion and that, as much as anything, leaves Mourinho looking vulnerable.
As disappointing as United were, West Ham were brilliant and match winner Arnautovic said: “It doesn’t matter how they set up, our game was to try to win, we have to do our job and we did it excellently, and that is why we deserved to win.”
