Jose Mourinho drops HUGE Man Utd team selection clue for FA Cup semi-final clash
JOSE MOURINHO has admitted that several of his Manchester United side have played themselves into contention to start their FA Cup semi-final this weekend.
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Following a disappointing defeat to bottom-of-the-league West Brom last Sunday, United returned to winning ways with a 2-0 away win at Bournemouth last night thanks to goals from Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku in either half.
Mourinho opted to rest a handful of players with the likes of Antonio Valencia, Nemanja Matic and goalscorer Lukaku all benched but expected to return to the starting line-up when they take on Tottenham this weekend at Wembley.
Yet the Portuguese boss declared that their clash with the Cherries was an opportunity for a number of players to put forward their case to play against Spurs.
And the manager was pleased by the performance of the Red Devils, with the much-maligned Paul Pogba particularly key, producing a Man of the Match display.
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Mourinho told reporters: “I would say that every player on the pitch was positive and made themselves available for [the FA Cup semi-final on] Saturday.
“I wouldn’t say phenomenal. I think all of them played well and they told me they want to play [against Spurs].
“Obviously I am going to change the team, I am not going to repeat this team.
“I gave a rest to Matic, I gave a rest to Antonio Valencia, with the objective of at least having a couple of players fresh.
“But all of the players told me they are here and they want to play.”
United’s showing in the defeat to West Brom at the weekend, a result which handed rivals Manchester City the league title, attracted scathing criticism.
But Mourinho felt that United - who strengthened their grip on second place with the win on the South Coast, opening up a four-point lead on third-placed Liverpool - were far more fluent against Eddie Howe’s charges.
“Everything was different, everything was faster, everything was simple,” the United boss added.
“The players were running without the ball to be in the right places defensively and attacking, not just to always have one more touch, one more flick, one more trick.
“Everything was good and I am happy that the result was also good because now the players can have that positive feeling.”
United face Spurs in the final four of the FA Cup on Saturday (5.15pm).