Mourinho sour after 2nd loss running
LONDON • Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho belittled Leicester’s sterling display in a 2-0 win over his side on Sunday, three days after claiming “the best team lost” in a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool.
“I didn’t think either team played very, very well,” Mourinho told the BBC after Jamie Vardy’s penalty and Toby Alderweireld’s own goal put his side to the sword.
“It’s a game where your goalkeeper doesn’t make a single save, but it’s a game that we didn’t play very well.
“We deserved to win the game at Liverpool and that would have made it an amazing week because nobody has done that for a long time – the team was phenomenal at Liverpool. Now if you look at the table, everybody is there.”
Having picked up one point in their last three games, Spurs are now six points behind champions and leaders Liverpool.
But Mourinho argued the hosts missed the best chances on Sunday, even though Leicester always looked more dangerous in possession as their counter-attacking strategy paid dividends.
Claiming their second straight league defeat was largely self-inflicted – Leicester’s opener was the result of a reckless foul by Serge Aurier on Wesley Fofana in the box – Mourinho added: “I would describe it as a mistake.
“You have to know where you are, and know that you are inside the box and the player is going away from your goal without any kind of danger.
“Serge was phenomenal against Liverpool, probably our best player but today, he made this mistake. Did this mistake cost us the three points? I think it is unfair to say that.
“If I have to talk about individuals, I could go in other directions where the attitude was not the attitude that I like.”
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers brushed off his opposite number’s sour grapes, expressing his delight after his side bounced back from their 2-0 home defeat by Everton last Wednesday to move up to second, four points behind Liverpool.
Like last season when they ended fifth, the Foxes are firmly in the top-four hunt but this time, Rodgers is confident they can sustain their challenge after failing to qualify for the Champions League last season.
“The players have done great. A European campaign, lots of injuries but they have kept the enthusiasm, spirit and quality, so it is a very pleasing opening third of the season,” he said.
“The ambition is to continue improving. We won’t get carried away, there is a lot of development to take place in our young players.
“We will see. It has been a really good start, I am satisfied with where we are at, knowing there are improvements to make. The group is learning all the time and that’s why we’re nowhere near the finished product.”
REUTERS