Manchester United have an extremely difficult looking run of fixtures next month, which their master wordsmith of a manager Jose Mourinho has referred to as a ‘poisoned gift’.
The Red Devils face one of the definitive weeks of their season next month as they take on Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as Turkish giants Fenerbahce, in the same week.
Manager Jose Mourinho is none too pleased with the schedule, referring to it as a ‘poisoned gift’. “Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play Liverpool on the Sunday,” said Mourinho, according to the Guardian.
“We play Liverpool on the Monday. So maybe we don’t have the best conditions, especially because we play against two top Premier League games that don’t play in European competitions. We had this kind of poisoned gift of playing on the Monday.”
The Potuguese manager further added that he doesn’t think it would be possible to reschedule the Liverpool game and that United would have to play with the cards they’ve been dealt.
“I think it is impossible. The poisoned gift is already there, so what can you do? We just have to play Monday, and then Thursday, and then Stamford Bridge on the Sunday.”
October is set to be a huge month for Manchester United across all three competitions that they are in at the moment. The game against Fenerbahce is, on paper, the most straightforward encounter, but it is the scheduling that could make it a difficult hurdle to cross.
The match comes three days after Manchester United travel to Anfield to face bitter rivals Liverpool. Three days following the game in Turkey, the Red Devils travel to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea. Things don’t get any easier for the Red Devils after that though, as they face off against Manchester City in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
This is a month that could make or break Man United’s season. Jose Mourinho will be planning on how best to tactically navigate the quick succession of key fixtures. The Red Devils have had an unsteady start to the season and this run of fixtures, although undoubtedly daunting, could be a launchpad for the team to go on and challenge across all three fronts this campaign.
