Jose Mourinho has a certain reputation for pinning the blame on any number of factors when results don’t go his way.
Refereeing decisions, injury time and the weather are just three excuses utilised by Mourinho at various stages in the past but the Manchester United manager was nothing but searingly honest when he gave his thoughts on his side’s shock defeat at Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon.
Two first-half goals from the hosts, who hadn’t beaten United in a league game in 65 years, forced Mourinho into using all his substitutions before the second half had even kicked off and not even a late Marcus Rashford header could inspire the visitors into a dramatic comeback.
He didn't have the best game, to put it politely https://t.co/qnlt74fEmv
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) October 21, 2017
And Mourinho didn’t shy away or look for any outside factors on which to blame the defeat, United’s first in the Premier League this season, in his post-match interview.
“We deserved it [the defeat],” Mourinho told Sky Sports.
“The team that wanted it more, the team wanted to work more, the team wanted to be more aggressive won.
“So when the best team wins, there’s nothing to say.”
Mourinho continued to applaud the fight displayed by David Wagner’s side and admitted that the outcome was a fair one.
And while he cut a philosophical figure in front of the television cameras, we would imagine he showed considerably less composure when he got back to the dressing room.
“[The first half] surprised me. I was not expecting that,” he added.
“It was the reality of the game. The team that started with emotion, aggression, intensity, desire. The team that was having the game of their lives was the team that won.
“We didn’t deserve more!
“Maybe in the second half when we were in control and we played against a team and against an incredible wind, we wanted it a little bit more. Possibly we could have got a draw but, honestly, I think we deserve the punishment of the defeat.
“Of course I’m disappointed but the reality is that they were stronger.”
