You’d think that the worst thing that happened at Wednesday night’s drab 0-0 Champions League affair between Sevilla and De Gea FC was the death of football but, in fact, something worse did happen. Ander Herrera, whom you might remember as the guy who completely nullified Eden Hazard in our game at Old Trafford last season, got injured within the first 13 minutes, after just coming back from an injury.
Speaking to the press after the worst thing to happen to our screens since Fifty Shades of Grey was turned into a movie, Jose Mourinho was none too pleased with this development (the injury, that is).
“It didn’t look like he was fully fit, I think he has a bad injury. He had a small injury that stopped him for the last couple of matches, but the medical department gave him 100% ready for last Saturday [against Huddersfield in the FA Cup].
“He looked fit [on Tuesday] and the way he was playing during his time on the pitch - he was pressing a lot, really high - you only do that when you feel good.
“Then it was a back-heel, and a back-heel creates a contraction in the muscular area where he had the biggest problem, and now we have proof that he was not 100% fit.”
-Jose Mourinho; source: BBC
If that sounds to you like Mourinho’s pointing the finger at the medical team, you’re not alone in that assessment.
Mourinho done it at Chelsea with the club Dr, is he gonna wind up Man Utd's medical team with his comments on Herrera? Claiming its 'obvious he was not 100% fit' and shouldn't have been declared fit
— CheekySport (@CheekySport) February 22, 2018
We’re all too familiar with this step in the Mourinho Experience of course, so good luck to United, who had a fair share of issues under Van Gaal as well.
Manchester United 41 injuries: 17 knee injuries, 11 ankle injuries, 8 thigh injuries and 5 unnamed injuries.
— She_King ❤️ (@She_King_MUFC) November 30, 2014
With 13 injuries & 8 academy players in their squad, it's not been ideal preparation for Manchester United: pic.twitter.com/2lMb1XK1nC
— The42.ie (@The42_ie) February 25, 2016
Chelsea themselves are no strangers to injuries after picking up at least 14356 hamstring strains (not at all exaggerated) this season, but while our current injury concerns are restricted to just David Luiz and Tiemoué Bakayoko, United will also be without Maroune Fellaini, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and maybe a couple others. Given his key role last time however, Ander Herrera could be a big absence.
Chelsea will still have to be at their best and Mourinho will undoubtedly marshal all his available forces to not lose again to Antonio conte.