Advertisement

Jose Mourinho blasts Manchester United's wasteful attacking stars after Anderlecht stalemate

Jose Mourinho watches from the dugout
Jose Mourinho watches from the dugout

Jose Mourinho was angry with Manchester United’s attacking players for failing to kill off their Europa League quarter-final tie with Anderlecht.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan put United in front with a vital away goal in the first leg at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Belgium.

However, Leander Dendoncker’s late strike has left the Red Devils with more work to do in the return fixture at Old Trafford next week.

READ MORE: Gossip – Ozil to stay at Arsenal ‘because nobody else wants him’

Mkhitaryan formed part of an attacking line-up with Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and experienced striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

READ MORE: Match report from Belgium as United are held

READ MORE: Five things we learned from United’s draw with Anderlecht

READ MORE: Mourinho – Defence can be rightly upset with our attack

READ MORE: The 11 greatest players NEVER to get a PFA nomination

But only the Armenian could find the net in a wasteful performance from Mourinho’s attackers and the Special One was far from happy with the result.

“We have to kill matches,” Mourinho told BT Sport. “We have chances, we have control, we don’t score.

“There was lots of space to play, to kill, lots of half chances but we don’t score because of bad decisions in the last third.

“One mistake and we were punished. We have to play more seriously.

READ MORE: World record bid received for Mbappe

READ MORE: Lukaku WILL leave Everton after rejecting contract

READ MORE: How to rebuild the Barcelona squad this summer

READ MORE: Guardiola quizzed over Sanchez rumours

It was a frustrating night for Zlatan and United
It was a frustrating night for Zlatan and United

“If we put altogether the performance of all of our attacking players and you squeeze it – not much juice comes out.

“If I was one of my defenders I would be disappointed. The ones in front didn’t kill the game.”

Mourinho must now turn his attention to a huge Premier League fixture with his old club Chelsea on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford.

Then comes the return leg with the Belgians in Manchester as United look to reach the semi-finals and secure Champions League football for next term.

READ MORE: Man United will demand Toni Kroos if they sell David De Gea to Real Madrid

READ MORE: I feel like an animal – Sokratis hits out at UEFA’s treatment of Dortmund

READ MORE: Schmeichel fuming after Leicester hit by Atletico penalty