Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has slammed manager Jose Mourinho for repeatedly complaining about the club’s fixture schedule, BBC reported.
“Why do we have to listen to that garbage?” Keane said after Mourinho declared that his team will “probably lose” their Premier League clash against Middlesbrough, on Sunday, their fourth game in 11 days.
United, who beat FC Rostov on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League suffered a huge setback during the game as midfielder Paul Pogba picked up a hamstring injury.
Mourinho was not too pleased with the turn of events and came down heavily on the scheduling and lamenting that “fatigue has a price”.
Keane, who was with the club for 12 years, however, feels that Mourinho is making excuses. Speaking to ITV, the Irishman said the club could have beaten Rostov with a reserve side.
“What he is talking about is utter nonsense,” Keane said. “He is manager of one of the biggest clubs on the planet. They’ve had an easy ride in the cups, with a lot of home draws,” added Keane, who has made 480 appearances and won seven league titles, a European Cup with the club.
“Maybe the club’s too big for him. I’m sick to death of him. Manchester United reserves could have won that game.”
After drawing with Rostov 1-1 last Thursday, a 10-man United laboured through a 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Chelsea. It was later reported that the team had to travel back to Manchester from London by bus, further antagonising the manager.
“I understand people saying we should play better, score more goals, but the reality is that we have lots of things going against us,” Mourinho had said. “We have to fight. The boys are amazing boys, but probably we’ll lose the game on Sunday.”
Paul Pogba is set to miss the game against Middlesbrough. Defender Daley Blind has also been sidelined with a suffered a suspected concussion.
