Jose Mourinho may be yet to take charge of his first competitive home game as Manchester United manager, but he has already laid down the gauntlet to the Old Trafford faithful.
Barely 24 hours before United look to continue their winning run against Southampton, the Portuguese manager has suggested home fans have been too quiet of late.
The club might have lost just twice at home in the league last season, but failure to secure victory at home to PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool contributed to their Champions League and Europa League exits respectively.
And he thinks a stronger connection between the club and its fans will be enough to make Old Trafford the daunting proposition it was during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure, explaining “Everything starts there: the relation between the team and the fans.”
Speaking to the media on #MUTVHD, Jose Mourinho says he's sure #MUFC can bring the fear factor back to Old Trafford. https://t.co/y89PiSLpbh
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2016
“If at Old Trafford a couple of thousand away opponents can be more supportive and noisy than 70-something thousand, then we are in trouble and it means that there is no connection between the team and the supporters,” Mourinho told the media ahead of the Southampton game.
“If there is a connection, I think that factor of being really strong at home has to be back, but I think everything starts on that relationship between the team and the fans.
“The way the team plays, the way the team behaves, their model of play…but that includes their mental approach.
“If the fans feel that connection, they want also to play, and if the fans play [there’s] no chance for the opponent.”
Mourinho’s three title wins as Chelsea manager came without a single visiting team winning at Stamford Bridge during the league, so he is speaking from experience.
In those three title-winning seasons – 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2014/15, the Blues were defensively solid, conceding a combined 24 goals at home. Last year, with Mourinho leaving West London mid-season with the club flirting with relegation, visiting sides found the net 30 times against Chelsea.
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