Luke Shaw played pretty well when he came on for Manchester United, right?
He injected a bit of spark, got down the wing several times and some [definitely not all] of his crosses were whipped into good areas. It was Shaw who won the penalty that resulted in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late equaliser, right?
He deserves at least some credit, right?
WRONG!
You should have realised that Shaw was operating on the touchline closest to Jose Mourinho, who was essentially working as the left-back’s brain throughout the second half when he came on as a substitute.
In an astonishing response to a request for his assessment of the performance of a player who Mourinho has not shied away from criticising in recent weeks, the United manager seemed to take full credit for all of the good things that Shaw pulled off because Mourinho was thinking for him.
He’s hit peak Mourinho! It’s finally happened.
“You know I think he has lots of potential but the football brain and the professional brain also has to be with the talent,” Mourinho told BT Sport after the game.
“I think in previous generations, it was more difficult to be a big player, more difficult to be rich after the career. In this moment, they are rich when the career starts. It’s an easy life for them.
“I think he has to change his football brain.
“I was telling him just now that he was doing things in the second half because he was reacting to my voice. If he was playing on the other side, for sure he wouldn’t do it because I was not there to think for him.
Jose Mourinho says Luke Shaw needs maturity, but also said the left-back does have a future at #MUFC. https://t.co/0ne3WjN7sm
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2017
“He needs maturity and maturity comes with responsibility. He has talent, I want to help him. I think he has a future here.
“But Manchester United cannot wait. We are 20 matches unbeaten in the Premier League which is not enough because we don’t win enough matches.
“We need the kids to grow up!”
Mourinho on Luke Shaw display: 'He had a good performance but was his body with my brain and I was making every decision for him.' #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) April 4, 2017
Another “kid” who was singled out for some criticism was Marcus Rashford, the young forward who has been experiencing something of a goal drought of late and Mourinho kindly offered to “help” Rashford, presumably by becoming his brain too.
“It’s one thing for Marcus Rashford, who comes last year with no responsibility and scores a goal. Then the next week score another one,” Mourinho continued.
“This season, he scored his last goal in September.
“I have to help him.
“I cannot kill him. I must help him and I must try to accelerate the process again because this is Manchester United.”
