Portuguese manager had claimed there was a 'manhunt' against him; watch Man Utd's Premier League clash at Chelsea live on Sky Sports from 11.30am on Saturday
Friday 19 October 2018 22:36, UK
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho - who takes his team back to Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime - says recent criticism of him and his players has hurt.
United face a tough-looking trip to the joint Premier League leaders this weekend - in a match you can see live on Sky Sports - hoping to record their first win at Stamford Bridge since Sir Alex Ferguson retired five years ago.
Despite staging a dramatic comeback from two goals down to beat Newcastle United 3-2 before the international break, though, United still arrive in the capital languishing down in eighth, an unfamiliar position that has led to severe criticism of Mourinho.
Prior to United's last-gasp win over Newcastle, the Mirror had claimed Mourinho would be sacked regardless of the result at Old Trafford, reports that prompted the Portuguese to claim he was the victim of a "manhunt".
It was those pre-match headlines that affected some of his players in the first half of that game, according to the United boss.
"I think the players in that weekend we didn't sleep in the hotel, everyone stayed at his own house, and I think the players when they woke up in the morning, from what they read, because they read and follow social media, I think the pre-match was not easy for them," said Mourinho in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.
"What I can do is tell them what I keep telling them: it is my problem, to cope with it, because I am the man and let them enjoy their football the way they did against Newcastle in the second half."
However, that does not mean the 55-year-old has not been personally affected by recent stories regarding his future at the club.
No I am not happy. Honestly I am not happy. But if somebody has to be the man, I prefer it to be myself than my players
"No I am not happy," said Mourinho. "Honestly I am not happy. But if somebody has to be the man, I'd prefer it to be myself than my players.
"Yes it bothers me, because I am a man like you are."
What does not bother Mourinho, however, is his dreadful record as United manager at Stamford Bridge, with the 'Special One' looking to record his first win at his old club in charge of United.
"No, not at all," he said when asked if putting an end to that run was his focus on Saturday.
"I never won at Newcastle, with Chelsea or Man Utd. And that's it. I will try tomorrow, I believe we can tomorrow."
United will come up against a side that are still undefeated in the league under new head coach Maurizio Sarri and Mourinho has been impressed with what he has seen so far this season of his former club.
"They have very good players, a very good squad, they play well, get results," he said.
"And when you get results your team is obviously in a great momentum, and they have lots of special players, of course one in this moment is undoubtedly the best player in this period in the Premier League, but some others are really special players, and they are a very difficult team, but I think we can win."
One man United will need to keep a close on at the Bridge is Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard, the Premier League's top scorer, although he will not be their only threat according to Mourinho.
"If I only think about Eden, we are in trouble," he said. "It's Eden, It's Willian, it's [N'Golo] Kante. It's really hard to play against a team and focus on one man if that special man is surrounded by special players."
However, Mourinho refused to criticise Hazard, despite the Belgian recently admitting he felt guilty after his lacklustre displays played a part in the then Chelsea manager's sacking midway through the 2015-16 campaign,
"He is a good kid," he said when asked if Hazard could have done more to prevent his Chelsea exit in December 2015.
"He was a good kid in my time and now he is a good man, three or four years more maturity he was a kid and now is a man.
"I think he knows how good he is, I think he knows how much he can influence the destiny of his team in the course of a season.
"In my first season he was voted the best player in the Premier League and the team was champion. In my second season he was not very good, but we were not very good. Then Antonio comes, he was the best player in the Premier League and they won the title again, and he knows that with his talent he can influence the destiny of his team."
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