On Wednesday night, Manchester United did what everyone with even half an interest in football knew they would do under Jose Mourinho.
They went to Sevilla and didn’t even try to score. But it’s not like that part of their game was being sacrificed for some sort of genius tactical invention that would keep their opponents at bay.
Because, even if you were willing to accept that United had every right to be frightened of Sevilla and every right to be shit scared to open up in any way against them in the first leg away from home, the job they did in trying to nullify the Spaniards was appalling.
All Jose Mourinho did was instruct his team to set up behind the ball but, even at that, the home side waltzed through time and time again and took aim at David de Gea who, at this stage, must just enjoy the torment.
This, yet again, wasn’t a defensive masterclass from Jose Mourinho. This was Sevilla – an average side – failing to take their chances.
Which makes the manager’s raised eyebrow at this question from Tony O’Donoghue on Irish TV station RTE all the more surprising.
“David de Gea? One amazing save and then nothing more to do,” Mourinho got his back up at the suggestion that United’s goalkeeper saved their bacon once again.
“I think all the shots they had were easy shots, simple shots, statistic shots.”
A spikey Jose Mourinho really didn't like being asked about Paul Pogba after Manchester United's 0-0 draw in Seville. pic.twitter.com/sysFSeaarO
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 21, 2018
Statistic shots.
“The shots that go to the clouds and go to the crowds are not for me shots so they had one great opportunity with a fantastic David save,” Jose peddled the same approach again.
Well, here’s a statistic. David de Gea, despite what the manager would want you to believe, made eight saves against Sevilla on Wednesday.
Eight saves. That’s more than any Manchester United goalkeeper has had to do in any Champions League game since Edwin van der Saar who also made eight saves against Barcelona in 2011.
Edwin van der Saar and Alex Ferguson were facing the greatest team of all time on that occasion.
David de Gea and Jose Mourinho were playing Sevilla.
