Football news - Mourinho denies Man Utd top four claim, refuses to discuss Pogba reports
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ByEurosport
Updated 04/12/2018 at 11:07 GMT
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has denied claiming that his side will need a miracle to reach the top four and refused to comments on reports he called Paul Pogba “a virus".
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
Image credit: Getty Images
Reports emerged ahead of Mourinho's press conference on Tuesday that he had told Brazilian TV channel RedeTV.
"Last year I said it was fantastic to finish second considering the quality we had compared to other teams who were fighting for a top-four finish," he is reported to say.
"This year, as we're facing even more problems, it proves what I said when the season started: that it would be very tough for us. Now we must try and win as many points as we can. It will take almost a miracle to finish in the top four."
However speaking to the press before the crunch game against Arsenal on Wednesday Mourinho claimed that he had not meant to say miracle.
"If I used that word, it is not what I think at all. We have eight or nine points (gap to make up).
I don’t think we need a miracle. We don’t need to waste points where we don’t need to waste.
"Before Palace, I said my target would be end of December in top four. Now the target has changed. Now we have to try to be very close to these positions. We need to not be so unlucky with problems that we have. We need some players to perform.
"I don’t think Everton will be in front of Manchester United by the end of the season.
"I think at the end of the season the top six will be the teams you think."
The latest comments by Mourinho come less than two weeks after he said that his team would be in the top four by the end of the year.
"I know it's a big gap," said Mourinho, before the game against Crystal Palace.
"But I also know until the end of December we have eight Premier League matches to play, and with eight matches we are speaking about 24 points.
"I believe we are going to be there."
Mourinho also addressed recent reports that he had called midfielder Pogba “a virus” in front of the rest of the team.
"It is one thing is to speak about an interview to Brazilian TV, which you can see. It is another where I am quoted by someone else.
"I don’t speak about that. You saw me in the press conference. It is another thing that someone told what I told. I don’t respond to that. I don’t play the game of suggestions."
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