Manchester United news: Sir Alex Ferguson says Red Devils have found their form because Jose Mourinho has finally stopped letting his emotions boil over
Former boss believes early struggles this season were down to Special One's poor temperament, as a team 'mirror's its manager'
SIR ALEX FERGUSON believes in-form Manchester United are playing so well due to boss Jose Mourinho calming down.
The former Red Devils boss, so successful in his tenure in charge has kept a keen eye on his old club since leaving in 2013, having won 38 trophies.
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He will have seen former Chelsea boss Mourinho struggle early on at Old Trafford, conceding sloppy goals and not taking chances as many questioned the Portuguese’s abilities.
But they are now on a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, having last lost on November 3 at Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
And they are on their best sequence of no defeats since clocking up 18 matches without defeat in Ferguson’s final season.
And the Scot, not adverse to blowing his top himself during his time in charge, believes the squad are now “mirroring its manager” after Mourinho relaxed.
He told the BBC: “I was a little bit different from Jose in the respect that I wanted to build the football club and wanted young players to be part of that.
“Nonetheless, the first team weren’t doing great and you have to find solutions to correct that. I think Jose is finding solutions now. There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn’t getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now – he is calm and in control.
“That is the obvious observation I am making of the team now. The team is mirroring its manager.
“On Saturday at Stoke, they played to the last kick of the ball. They never gave in and got their rewards to take something from the game with that great Rooney goal.
“And did you see what he did? Ran to the halfway line. No celebration. Pointed to the ball as if to say ‘get it, we are going to win this’. That is exactly the spirit Jose has created.”
He added: “People from these countries, Portugal, Spain, Italy, have got that emotional part of them. It showed very much in terms of how Jose handled that part.
“You see him now. He is calm and in control. That is the obvious observation I am making of the team now. The team is mirroring its manager.
“It is playing with great energy, determination and will to win, which I think is really important.”
United did not beat Stoke on the weekend, drawing 1-1 – but Wayne Rooney’s 250th goal, which took him past Booby Charlton as the club’s all time leading scorer, did overshadow proceedings.
Ferguson believes Rooney’s new United scoring record will never be beaten. He said: “Sir Bobby’s record lasted for 44 years, I think, and when Wayne Rooney joined the club I could never imagine anybody could beat Sir Bobby’s record. So his achievement is outstanding.
“If you look at modern-day football, Manchester United are one of the few clubs who can keep players for over ten years, but it is more difficult than ever. You see it happening less and less that players stay for that length of time.”
And they could continue their unbeaten stretch in their next match away at Hull on Thursday night in the EFL Cup – as they already hold a 2-0 aggregate lead from the first leg.