Jose Mourinho believes his time with Manchester United may have been more successful had he been afforded the same level of support and trust as current manager Erik ten Hag.
Mourinho won the Carabao Cup and Europa League in his first season at Old Trafford before finishing second in the Premier League the following campaign.
But the Portuguese, who revealed he endured a difficult working relationship with former United chief executive Ed Woodward, was sacked in December 2018 after a poor run of results.
The fortunes of the 20-time English champions have improved little since his departure, with Dutchman Ten Hag taking over in 2022 following the tenures of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim coach Ralf Rangnick.
“My relationship with Ed Woodward was good – good as in the personal point of view,” Mourinho told the Telegraph.
“But from a professional point of view it was not the best.
“I am who I am. I am a football man. Ed comes from a different background and what Ten Hag has in his time at Manchester United I didn’t have. I didn’t have that level of support. I didn’t have that level of trust.
“So I left sad, because I felt I was in the beginning of the process.
“In some moments, I felt if they trusted me and believed in my experience things could be different.”
Former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager Mourinho returned to the Premier League with Tottenham in 2019 before taking charge at Roma, a role he left in January.
The 61-year-old “would love Manchester United to succeed” but suggested some squad members remaining from his tenure lack the professionalism to represent a club striving to compete with the world’s best.
“There are a couple of players still there I didn’t want five or six years ago,” he said.
“I think they represent a little bit what I consider not the best professional profile to a club of a certain dimension.
“But I did my job there. Time always tells the truth. I would love Manchester United to succeed.”
Atlanta United v D.C. United: Pineda hoping dominant US Open Cup win breeds confidence
Gonzalo Pineda hopes his Atlanta United side's 3-0 win over the Charlotte Independence in the US Open Cup on Tuesday gives them confidence after a tricky recent run.
Atlanta had gone five MLS games without a win prior to Tuesday's victory, leaving them 10th in the Eastern Conference after 10 matches.
However, with his side now heading into a home game against D.C. United off the back of a dominant display, Pineda is hoping that will spur his players onto better things in the league.
"When you win and have a solid performance like we did today, that brings confidence to the players," Pineda told reporters.
"I think at times there are certain games like this that can be a game changer or system changer."
Meanwhile, D.C. have only won one of their last five outings themselves and are just two points and a place above Atlanta having played a game more.
D.C. appeared to be on their way to victory against the Philadelphia Union last weekend, but they let a two-goal lead slip to instead be held to a draw.
Despite letting the Union escape with a point, D.C. head coach Troy Lesesne believes it was still an impressive showing.
"It may have been our best performance of the year," Lesesne said. "I'm very proud of what we put together.
"At the end of the season, this will be a point against a really good side."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atlanta United – Giorgos Giakoumakis
Giakoumakis attempted six shots against Minnesota United last weekend with all of them coming from inside the box. Giakoumakis has averaged 4.1 shots in the box per 90 minutes this season, the highest rate in MLS (min. 400 minutes), and he will be hoping to add to his impressive tally of five goals in seven MLS appearances this Saturday.
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
Benteke has already netted eight MLS goals so far this season and is very much on course to beat his output of 14 that he managed last term. He is a constant threat in attack for D.C., and Atlanta will have to keep a watchful eye on the former Liverpool man.
MATCH PREDICTION – ATLANTA WIN
Atlanta have suffered consecutive regular season home losses for the first time since July 2021. This is only the club's fourth two-match home losing streak in regular season play as they've never lost three in a row at home.
Meanwhile, D.C. lost a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw with the Union. D.C. have dropped 12 points from winning positions this season, tied for the second most in the league this season (Sporting Kansas City – 14).
D.C. are winless in 10 straight away matches in all competitions dating back to early August, and Atlanta could extend that poor run by taking the three points on Saturday.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Atlanta: 55.2%
D.C.: 19.8%
Draw: 25%
Man Utd keen to sell Greenwood amid Barcelona interest, claims Getafe president
Manchester United are keen to sell Mason Greenwood in the upcoming transfer window and could field interest from Barcelona, according to Getafe president Angel Torres.
Greenwood joined Getafe on a season-long loan deal in September and has scored eight goals and added six assists in 29 appearances in LaLiga in 2023-24.
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 and was later charged with attempted rape and assault, with all charges against him dropped in February 2023.
United then conducted a six-month internal investigation into his conduct and said they recognised "the difficulties with him recommencing his career" with the club.
In February, speculation that Greenwood could yet return to Old Trafford was heightened when new minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe said a "fresh decision" would be made on his future at the end of the season.
However, Getafe chief Torres claims the Red Devils are now keen to cash in on a player he hopes to keep at the Estadio Coliseum.
"If it depended on the player, his parents and the club, I think he would continue for another year," Torres said of Greenwood in an interview with RadioMARCA on Tuesday.
"Manchester United's idea is to sell if there is a good offer, we will have to wait. I think he will stay."
Reports had suggested both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were considering a move for Greenwood, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract with United.
Torres claims Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have been in touch about the 22-year-old, adding: "No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood.
"I spoke with [Atleti president] Miguel Angel [Gil Marin], but about other things. The only one who asked me about the player was Joan Laporta.
"I spoke with him and Deco and they asked me what he was like to get a sense of the player, but first they have to sell to buy, this is the problem with Spanish football."
'Call it a day' – Casemiro told to quit Man Utd after hapless Palace display
Casemiro has been told to quit Manchester United after producing a dire display in Monday's 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace, with Jamie Carragher saying the Brazilian can no longer cut it at the top level.
United produced arguably their worst performance of the season on Monday, with Michael Olise scoring twice as Palace hammered Erik ten Hag's injury-hit side at Selhurst Park.
With Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof all sidelined, Casemiro played as a makeshift centre-back alongside Jonny Evans and endured a nightmare outing.
The Brazilian was beaten all too easily by Olise for Palace's opener, then was outmuscled by Daniel Munoz for Olise's second goal just after the hour mark.
Carragher believes the time has come for the five-time Champions League winner to step away from the top level, saying a move to MLS or the Saudi Pro League should be on the cards.
"I think Casemiro should know himself, as an experienced player, that he should only have three games left at a top level," Carragher said in his role as Sky Sports pundit.
"Then he should say, 'I'm going to head to MLS or Saudi'. His agent or the team around him need to tell him. We're watching one of the greats of the modern time.
"But I always remember something when I retired, a saying I'll always remember, 'leave the football before the football leaves you'.
"The football's left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move."
Casemiro has struggled throughout his second season at Old Trafford. Last campaign, the former Real Madrid star won possession 8.68 times per 90 minutes, on average, in the Premier League, also managing 1.44 interceptions per game.
Both of those figures are down this term, with Casemiro only winning possession back 6.14 times and making 0.84 interceptions per 90 minutes.
Since the turn of the year, meanwhile, United have faced a Premier League-high 317 shots, while only West Ham (36.35), Luton Town (35.78), Burnley (31.88) and Sheffield United (31.6) have allowed opponents to generate more expected goals (xG) than their 31.47.
Ten Hag, however, refused to single out Casemiro for criticism after Monday's match, saying: "You can't put this down to one player, it's a team performance."
Casemiro has been dribbled past on 52 occasions in the Premier League this season, with only eight players being beaten by opponents more often in the competition.
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