Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admits selection errors in derby defeat to City

Jose Mourinho

MANCHESTER  United manager  has admitted he got his team selection wrong in their 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.

His decision to start Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard over the in-form Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial and Juan Mata left many bewildered.

Mourinho concedes it was a gamble that backfired while also revealing Rashford had done enough to earn a place in the starting lineup for their Europa League clash this week against Feyenoord.

“Honestly, I had two or three players in the first half who, if I knew what I know now, I don’t play them,” he told Sky Sports. “But this is football. Sometimes players disappoint managers. Sometimes they give great surprises.

“They didn’t give me what I want. It’s their fault and it’s my fault because I’m the manager.

“For me the next big game is against Feyenoord and the next game [Rashford] is going to play. That is the only thing I can say,” he later told reporters when asked about the 18-year-old.

“Against City, I felt they had the fragility on the sides and the kid [Rashford] could give us in the second half on the sides what we didn’t get with Miki and Jesse in the first half.” Kickoff.com

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