Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho rues the missing chances as he feels they could have killed the game had they been able to convert those into goals.
United suffered a surprising but deserving defeat to Derby County as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup. Juan Mata found the net very early with a very slick finish but the Red Devils couldn’t back up the advantage as they lacked the intensity in their attack.
Derby hit back with a brilliant Harry Wilson free kick and substitute Jack Marriott but Marouane Fellaini’s last gasp equaliser brought a sigh of relief at the Old Trafford. But it didn’t last long as Phil Jones was denied by the Rams keeper Scott Carson in the penalty shootout to keep them alive in the competition.
Mourinho said, “We didn’t score when we could and we could in the first half.
“We had good situations to kill it, we didn’t and at half-time I repeated the same words I did in the last match, telling the players that their dressing room was a dressing room with belief because the result was open and because they were playing quite well.
“We needed to go and kill the game, which we didn’t. We couldn’t be dominant at the beginning of the second half and only after their equaliser we had again that reaction I don’t like.
“I prefer to be proactive and to go for it, but we go for it only at 1-1 and after the red card we are in a bit of difficulty. Then even with one man less it was a reaction of pride, a reaction of a group that didn’t want to lose the game and tried until the last second.
“Then the penalties come and someone has to miss. When I saw us going after the sixth, the seventh I knew we were going to be in trouble with (Phil) Jones and with Eric (Bailly). I knew we were going to be in trouble then.”
