Jose Mourinho: Video replay could have helped Man United beat Everton - 7M sport

Jose Mourinho: Video replay could have helped Man United beat Everton



Posted Wednesday, April 05, 2017 by ESPN

Jose Mourinho: Video replay could have helped Man United beat Everton
Jose Mourinho admitted the goal United had ruled out was a 'really difficult decision.'

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said a video assistant referee would have given his side a win on Tuesday after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a goal ruled out for offside.

Though there was no controversy surrounding the late penalty that salvaged a 1-1 draw for United with Everton, Ibrahimovic thought he had equalised earlier from a diving header.

But the strike was ruled out for offside, and after replays showed to be a very tight decision, Mourinho said video replay would have allowed the goal to stand.

"We scored two legal goals but I tell you with a smile on my face because I am not upset with the linesman," Mourinho told the BBC. "A really difficult decision for him, only video assistant replay could help this.

"After pressure, after pressure, after pressure the goal finally arrived and at least you don't have the feeling of defeat.

"They were taking off attacking players and putting on defenders. They were inviting us to attack but they can do that because [Romelu] Lukaku is so powerful he can be dangerous.

"The players gave everything. The performance from a football point of view was not good, but I am very pleased with the effort."

The point at least keeps United above Everton, who would have leapfrogged into fifth place on goal difference with a win. However, Mourinho said it would not be easy to make up the four points that separate the four points that separate United from fourth-placed Manchester City.

"More difficult, very difficult. It is mathematically possible but depends on our opponents," Mourinho said. "It is an amazing run of 20 matches unbeaten but too many draws at home. Because of that we are in the position we are.

"We build well, but we don't score enough goals, we don't kill off enough opponents and at the end of this season I think we will be punished by that."

Even if United finish outside the top four they can reach the Champions League by winning the Europa League, and asked if it was time to prioritise the continental competition, Mourinho said: "When we keep losing players I will have to."

Ibrahimovic also said he felt that United "deserved a little bit more."

"We conceded our goal by a mistake, their goal came out of nothing," he told BT Sport. "We cannot afford these mistakes, they are very important points, especially when the table is like it is.

"At the end we equalised. We were attacking for most of the game, we had good chances, but we have to do more."

Phil Jagielka had provided a lead for Everton in the first half, but he said he was disappointed that "one lack of judgement" was enough to cost them two points after Ashley Williams handled the ball in the box in stoppage time, leading to United's equalising penalty.

"I thought we played some good stuff, especially the first half. The gameplan worked and we knew we would have to soak up some pressure. We thought we had done enough but couldn't see the game out.

"It is disappointing not to see out that final attack. It was difficult with their two big fellas up top. The one lack of judgement in the 92nd minute cost us.

"We need to dust ourselves down now. Leicester have found some form but we need to get back to winning ways."

Everton boss Ronald Koeman felt his side had done a "really good job", three days on from their 3-1 Merseyside derby loss at Liverpool, and described the late penalty as "painful."

He also said he felt "more comfortable" facing United at Old Trafford than he had in the game at Anfield on Satuday.

"I feel myself more comfortable here than [with] the way Liverpool tried to press," Koeman said. "They are strong, United, they have individual qualities. But it isn't a team that is from the start pressing, pressing, pressing. They have a different system.

"It is a strong team, with really good players. But you get more time and you have more ball possession."



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