Only one team tried to win - Mourinho frustrated by Stoke approach

Stoke City battled to a commendable draw with Manchester United on Saturday, leaving Jose Mourinho wound up with their tactics.

Published : Sep 10, 2017 01:26 IST

Jose Mourinho believes only "one team tried to win" as a wasteful Manchester United side was held to a 2-2 draw by Stoke City on Saturday.

United was on top for long periods at the bet365 Stadium and appeared to be on course to win when Romelu Lukaku put it 2-1 ahead just before the hour mark, adding to Marcus Rashford's first.

But Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who opened the scoring just before the break, added a second five minutes after Lukaku's goal and that proved to be enough to secure a point.

Lukaku should have scored again late on, but he missed the target from close range and an irritated Mourinho was left wondering what might have been.

"I'm not satisfied with a point because we were the team closer to winning," he told BT Sport . "I have to say it is a result I accept though.

"One team tried to win, one team tried to get the point but they fought hard to get that point - they defended well, they counter-attacked and in set-pieces they are powerful.

"It was a difficult match for different reasons. My players, after the international break, are not the same.

"They weren't performing at their normal level but we were in the game, we fought hard and we were closer to winning than losing.

"Stoke are big, strong and powerful in the air. They fought hard and probably deserved a point."

"A point is a point. It is not what we came for but a point is a point."

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