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Jose Mourinho categorically ruled out any possibility of catching up in the English Premier League in London, despite his team's 1-0 loss at Old Trafford on Sunday.
A Darren Fletcher goal with a precise header dealt a crushing blow to the Chelsea club - their first loss in 41 Premier League matches. The "Red Devils" are trailing last year's champions by 10 points, with one game in hand.
"We don't feel any pressure at all. First of all, Manchester United needs to win that extra game and even if that happens, we'll still be seven points behind. If you asked them if they would like to change places with us, I have no doubt they would agree at the same moment. I am truly unhappy with the result, as we lost, but I am proud of my players' performance and of the team we lost to.
To be honest, the result is not fair for my team, but for a moment they pushed forward and, with tremendous effort and determination, maintained this lead and deservedly won. Lately, the Manchester United club has been going through a tough period: they have dropped a lot of points, lost many matches, but they have strong players, a great coach, and a future that will undoubtedly be more successful - but not successful enough to become English champions again.
Of course, in the near future, they will string together one victory after another and constantly approach us, but I still believe that today on the field we showed who the champions are and why we are in first place," justified the charismatic Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho.
In an interview with MUTV, which the club banned from broadcasting, team captain Roy Keane criticized another Manchester United player, Alan Smith, after the team's 4-1 loss to Middlesbrough.
"We were strong the whole time. The boss never doubted us, but sometimes I have to remind myself that I play for a prestigious club. When you represent a team like Manchester United, you can't let in four goals. In such a case, you have to accept all the criticism. And we received critical remarks from many people, not just from Roy. He is a respectable person and immediately explained to us what and why he said during the interview, while all the speculation in the newspapers was pure nonsense," explained Smith.
"For an hour, we played exceptionally, but in the last five minutes, we had to withstand a nightmarish attack. That's how true champions play. Young players need a constant place in the team, consistency, and I have to make peace with that. It happens when the core of the team sits in the stands, and a huge responsibility falls on the shoulders of young players. Nevertheless, their desperate desire to play created a great atmosphere and spirited the whole team," rejoiced Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson.
