You’d have thought Jose Mourinho would have been in a better mood after Manchester United’s first pre-season victory inside 90 minutes.
United claimed a 2-1 win over reigning European champions Real Madrid on Tuesday night, with Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera finding the net before a Karim Benzema consolation goal.
STOP THAT, Andreas! 🔥
What a goal from Herrera though – all down to the work of Mata and Sanchez 👏https://t.co/QJ9YXsIUqz #MUFC
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 1, 2018
Mourinho continued to cut a frustrated figure in his post-match press conference, however, and he simply fobbed off the reporters’ questions about Anthony Martial.
The French man – who just about everyone in football, apart from Mourinho, realises he has a bright future – has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer and he left United’s pre-season tour last week in order to be present for the birth of his son in Paris.
When asked whether the French forward would return to the pre-season training squad, Mourinho passed the question on to the club’s press officer, Karen Shotbolt.
“Anthony Martial? It’s better for Karen to answer if she wants to answer,” Mourinho said.
Shotbolt jumped in and responded by telling journalists:
“We’re here to talk about the game.”
The question was repeated moments later and Mourinho replied with a simple: “I don’t know.”
It sounded like the United boss was unhappy with certain players, likely including Martial, for failing to give their all in their summer preparations for the season ahead.
While praising the desire of Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones and Romelu Lukaku after they agreed to cut their summer holidays short following the World Cup in order to help out the team, Mourinho criticised those players who weren’t present.
“With the fantastic spirit we have in the majority of the players, I repeat: In the majority of the players, we have a fantastic spirit, we go with everything we have to the Premier League,” he said.
Jose Mourinho has the latest on Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku.
More: https://t.co/PGuf6vckoI pic.twitter.com/AR7qIJqxOK
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 1, 2018
At the beginning of the summer, Martial’s agent Philippe Lamboley announced that the 22-year-old was eager to leave the Red Devils in pursuit of more playing time.
“After thinking about all the possibilities and settings, Anthony wants to leave Manchester United,” Lamboley told RMC Sport.
“Anthony is sad about his situation at Manchester.
“He loves the club and the fans, he showed it for three years. Without the great support from the fans, he would have already asked to leave the club.”
