Jose Mourinho reveals details of failed half-time team talk during Carabao Cup exit
Jose Mourinho claims he urged his players to take control of their Carabao Cup clash with Derby at half-time.
Manchester United were leading 1-0 at the break courtesy of an early goal from Juan Mata, but Derby came roaring back in the second half.
Harry Wilsons free-kick drew Derby level before Jack Marriott headed the Rams ahead, and United needed a 95th minute equaliser from Marouane Fellaini to force extra-time.
Sorry, this video isn't available any more.
Goalkeeper Sergio Romero had already been sent off and Phil Jones then missed the crucial penalty in the shoot-out.
On the back of another humiliating defeat, Mourinho explained he tried to focus his players minds at half-time.
We didnt score when we could and we could in the first-half to kill it, Mourinho said.
We didnt. At half-time I repeated the words I said in the last match. Their dressing room is a dressing room with belief and we need to go and kill the game which we didnt.
Advertisement Advertisement
My words at half-time were similar to the words against Wolves. I told the players that the result was open and we needed to close it, but again we conceded one goal. The kid hit a fantastic shot, but then we had an immediate reaction.
We hit the post, we created more chances, but then came the red card and then we were in more trouble.
They scored the goal, we had a reaction of pride, of desire of trying and even with one less player we got an equaliser and then the penalty shootout is a lottery and we missed one.
We knew that if we go past the seventh we were going to be in trouble with Jones, with Eric (Bailly), with Lee (Grant) – not good penalty takers – but we took it all well and we missed one.
More: Football
I was commenting with Michael (Carrick) and Kieran (McKenna) on the bench. We went in the first half 40 minutes without scoring a goal and then in the second half they started better than us.
Immediately after they equalised we were on top of it, we started creating again, we were dangerous and why, after the 1-1, and then why after the 2-1, even with one man less, I think we need to educate ourselves to being mentally stronger.
MORE: What Jose Mourinho told stunned Paul Pogba when he stripped vice-captaincy
Advertisement Advertisement
[contf]
[contfnew]
METRO
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
