Jose Mourinho has claimed that Tottenham’s 6-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier in the season is not a reflection of reality in the Premier League.
Spurs went 1-0 down early on away to the Red Devils when Davinson Sanchez gave away a penalty but fought back to demolish Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side 6-1.
Mourinho was keen to point out that these kinds of results can happen but was more intent on focusing on two other recent meetings with Man United – a 2-1 loss at Old Trafford and a 1-1 draw at home, both of which included penalties.
The Spurs head coach predicted that the game this weekend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be tight but refused to go into it worrying about Man United’s ability to pick up consistent penalties.
He said that he wanted to go into the match with only positive feelings, adding that his side would have to show ambition.
Mourinho said (Football London): “I believe that 6-1 doesn’t reflect the reality.
“It can happen. Of course, it can happen, between two great, the results they can happen in an isolated way. I go much more in the direction of the other two previous matches between us and United.
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“We lost 2-1 at Old Trafford, with the penalty, and we draw 1-1 at home last season, also with a penalty. I think this is more the reality. We are not far from each other so I think it is going to be a difficult match for both.
“If Solksjaer is going to use that result I don’t know. If it was the opposite. If it was my team losing 6-1 to them I would just say to my guys that it happened once and it’s not going to happen twice.
“This doesn’t reflect the reality. The game is going to be tight and we can win, but I don’t know, maybe Solksjaer has different things.”
On Man United winning penalties, he added: “I cannot go to a football match concerned.
“I can’t, I don’t think it’s the right frame of mind to go to a match concerned, so I’m not going concerned and I don’t want my players to go to.
“We have to go with positive feelings and go with the dimension and difficulty of the game. Coping with pressure. That’s what I want. I want to be positive and happy to play against such a giant club with such a good team and with the ambition to win the points.
“When the game starts, the points are going to be there on the grass.”
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