José Mourinho has playfully hinted that he might be in line for a fourth Premier League winner’s medal, should Manchester City be stripped of their title, despite finishing as runners-up with Manchester United in 2018. Mourinho, whose Fenerbahce side are set to host his former club in the Europa League on Thursday, also mentioned that he believes United have provided Erik ten Hag with “trust and stability” that he did not receive during his tenure at Old Trafford. Mourinho was dismissed by United just before Christmas in 2018, despite winning the Europa League and League Cup in his first season and finishing second in the league the following year—19 points behind City—which Mourinho considers one of his finest achievements. City could potentially lose their title due to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, a claim the club denies.
When asked if United had changed, Mourinho responded: “Honestly, I didn’t spend a single minute thinking about it. I wish the best for Man United since I left. I left with a positive feeling towards the club and the fans, and I want the best for them. If things aren’t going exceptionally well for them, it doesn’t make me happy. But at the same time, I have no interest in thinking about what happened or didn’t happen.” He added, “What is certain, because it’s very clear, is that they have faith in the coach [Ten Hag], they support the coach, and the coach is staying season after season, which means stability and trust. They are providing him with the conditions to continue developing his job.”
Mourinho also revealed that he was not approached by the Football Association to become the new England manager. He believes that despite Ten Hag’s side starting with draws against Porto and Twente, both United and Tottenham should be considered favorites for the Europa League. “This new format will allow the top teams to qualify,” Mourinho said. “It’s no problem for a top team to lose three or four matches out of eight, as they will then win three or four, easily making 12 points and qualifying. If I had to name the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, it’s easy: Man United and Tottenham.”
Mourinho’s last role in England ended with his dismissal by Tottenham just days before they were set to face City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final. This summer, he signed a two-year deal with Fenerbahce reportedly worth £10m per season, but he hinted that he might like to return to the Premier League someday. When asked why he thought United were still struggling under Ten Hag, Mourinho said: “Maybe you English guys think I’m bluffing, playing mind games. I’m not playing anything: they have a better team than their results are showing. I studied them as much as I could. We watched everything in the Premier League, Twente, and Porto—there is work to be done. They will succeed sooner or later. Hopefully sooner and before I return to the Premier League and they become my opponents. At the moment, they are just my opponents for one match.”
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