Manchester United news: Jose Mourinho rift with Ed Woodward is helping Man City, warns Sir Alex Ferguson assistant Mike Phelan
Mourinho moaned all summer about the lack of signings at Old Trafford as he looked to close the gap on bitter local rivals City who walked the title last season
JOSE MOURINHO’S beef with Ed Woodward helps Manchester City, according to former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan.
Phelan, who spent five years as a player at Old Trafford and another 12 as a coach under Sir Alex Ferguson, warned his former club they need to be “very careful” in-house conflicts do not strengthen the champions.
Mourinho denied a rift between him and United’s executive vice-chairman in his short press conference on Friday, despite making it clear he was not happy with the summer recruitment.
Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk, Diogo Dalot from Porto and backup keeper Lee Grant were added, but the United boss wanted a winger and a senior central defender to boost his title challenge.
United’s tame defeat at Brighton last Sunday has piled the pressure on the Portuguese coach ahead of the must-win clash with Tottenham at Old Trafford tomorrow night.
And while all is not well in the red half of Manchester, Phelan reckons the whole saga hands the advantage to Pep Guardiola.
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Phelan told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: “I think what is there at the moment is fierce competition within the City.
“If Manchester United are at loggerheads within the club I think it just helps fuel Manchester City's cause more than anything else and I think that's something they need to be very careful of.
“Manchester City are a very big club now and they're very well run and they know how to use certain situations, and I think that helps - unrest across the road helps."
City drew at Wolves yesterday and Mourinho will have the chance to ease the pressure on himself and go within a point of the champions and three behind leaders Liverpool.