Jose Mourinho takes another swipe at Arsene Wenger - 'He has failed to build a team to be champion'

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho
The rivalry between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho is as strong as ever Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Jose Mourinho is convinced Manchester United's owners will give him the time he needs to rebuild at Old Trafford as he aimed another swipe at Arsene Wenger in a bid to cement his own position.  

The United manager said Wenger had "failed to build a team to be champion" for more than a decade but claimed that his Arsenal counterpart escaped the level of scrutiny he does, despite last winning the Premier League title 18 months ago with Chelsea.  

Yet Mourinho believes United executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, and the Glazer family, who own the club, will provide him with the "stability" required to restore success at Old Trafford, even though they have sacked two managers in the past three seasons.  

"The Arsenal manager hasn't won a championship in 14 years [sic – Wenger's last league title was in 2004]," Mourinho told ESPN Brazil. "I haven't won a championship in 18 months. He, in 14 years [sic - 12], failed to build a team to be champion. I've been here for four months. And the demand is only for me and not for others."

Asked why he believes there is more on him to win than other managers, Mourinho echoed his claims before United's game against Arsenal on Saturday that he has become a victim of his own success. But the Portuguese - who celebrates six months since his appointment on Sunday - is adamant that United's powerbrokers buy into what he is trying to achieve and will afford him the time and support David Moyes and Louis van Gaal did not get.

Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho insists he has the support of the Man Utd owners Credit: GETTY IMAGES

"It must be because of the career I've made, because I got to the clubs and always won right away," Mourinho said of the scrutiny he finds himself under. "And this [Manchester United] is a more difficult reality, because it is an extremely difficult competition, with teams being prepared for a lot longer, with excellent players, with excellent coaches.  

"Manchester really live in a period that needs stability. A stability that the club wants to give me, a stability that the club gives me, a stability that the fans give me, but that the press does not accept very well."

United's 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal left Mourinho's side six points adrift of their rivals in fourth and nine points adrift of league leaders Chelsea.

Feyenoord visit Old Trafford on Thursday with United facing a battle to qualify for the Europa League knockout stages after two defeats in their opening four group games.  

Mourinho has already confirmed that outcast midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be involved against the Dutch side and Luke Shaw is also expected to start at left-back for the first time since being called out by the manager over his apparent unwillingness to play through the pain barrier in the 3-1 win at Swansea City two weekends ago.

Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is available to face Feyenoord after missing the Arsenal game through suspension, has raised the prospect of a move to Major League Soccer in the US when he leaves Old Trafford.

The Swedish striker is contracted to United until the end of the season with the option of a further 12 months. 

"It’s a huge option for me," Ibrahimovic told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet after being voted his country's top footballer for the 10th successive year. "For the football and everything else. I can see myself conquering the US as I have with Europe. Lots of people stay in one place throughout their career, but I’ve travelled around like Napoleon, and conquered every new country where I’ve set foot. So perhaps I should do what Napoleon didn’t and cross the Atlantic and conquer the States as well."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
David Beckham delivers a message to Zlatan Ibrahimovic after he is named Sweden's top footballer for the 10th successive year Credit: REX FEATURES

Ibrahimovic believes United are weaker than the Paris St-Germain side he left behind in the summer but has not yet given up hope of the club winning the Premier League title, despite admitting they have played poorly at times this season.

"The team I signed for this summer is not as strong as the one I left, but when Mourinho called the decision was easy," he said. "It was about the challenge really, and I will never say no to a challenge. This is what I wanted - coming to one of the world’s biggest clubs, that has had troubles and not won much of late, and try the Premier League. That is the challenge.

"We started off well with a few wins in a row. Then we started losing, and we lost playing badly, by several goals. We had a week when we lost three games, that has never happened to me in 15 years.

"There were a few games where I didn’t score and missed too many chances, but these things happen. As long as I’m there and create the chances and get the ball the goals will come."

Asked if United could still win the title, Ibrahimovic added: "I hope so, I believe in what we do. I know the capacity of this team, but it’s still a long way to go. With a bit of luck we should be able to do it."

License this content