Why Finishing Second Is Important – Jose Mourinho Opens Up After Brighton Loss

Jose Mourinho has confessed that finishing second is very important.

The Manchester United coach and his side suffered a 1-0 defeat during their Premiere League match with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Friday night.

“I didn’t succeed in persuading my players that getting the four points we need to finish second is important,” said Mourinho. “For me, it is, but for some of my players, it doesn’t look like it’s very important and obviously, for the Brighton boys, a point would probably be enough for them and means a lot to them to give absolutely everything they had to give. They got the bonus of their attitude.”

Mourinho continued: “I wouldn’t say I am disappointed because I know them [the players] but for some of them, the possibility to start the game, the possibility to give reason to the ones that during the season are always critical towards my choices – why always Lukaku, why always Lukaku, why always Lukaku. Now you have the answer why always Lukaku. Why always this? Why always that? You have the answer. Probably we are not as good individually as people think and I keep saying that to finish in the top four is great and it’s more than great if we finish second, but now we need four points and we must try to get them.”

Pascal Gross’s 57th minute decisive header gave the hosts their second successive season to confirm they will be playing Premier League football again next season.

Brighton defender Shane Duffy holds the record for the number of headed clearances in a PL season with 221 and counting, while Manchester United have now lost away from home to all three promoted sides this season.“It was not good enough,” Mourinho tells Sky Sports. “The players that replaced others didn’t perform at a good level. When individuals don’t perform at a good level, it’s difficult for the team to perform at a good level. My players will tell you that before the match I knew what was going to happen and I told them. At half-time I knew what was going to happen. I knew it and I told them.”

Photo Credit: Getty

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