Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho wants winter break in English football

Manchester United Manager, Jose Mourinho reacts on the sidelines after the final whistle of their win over Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on December 31, 2016 in Manchester, England. Matthew Lewis / GeShow more

Seldom have Manchester United fans been so happy with their team sixth in the Premier League.

Six straight wins, including five in the league, has not seen the team change league position as they look to bridge a gap to the leading five which appeared insurmountable less than a month ago.

However, United are now 12 unbeaten in all competitions since an early November defeat in Istanbul at Fenerbahce, their best run in the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.

It is not only those victories which are filling fans with joy, but the style of football, the decisiveness, the late winners and the will to come from behind as they did against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

When Paul Pogba scored an 86th minute winner in front of the Stretford End a minute after Anthony Martial had cancelled out Grant Leadbitter’s opener, it provided another highlight in a season where they are becoming more frequent.

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The fans feel that United are back and while the chances of winning a first title since 2013 are still unlikely this season, neither manager Jose Mourinho or the vast majority of United fans expect it.

Just seeing the team not in sixth place will make a pleasant change and that could happen if other results go their way on Monday — though the same thing can be said most weeks.

United hope to extend their run when they play at the new London stadium for the first time today against West Ham United, a team which provided the opposition in three of the team’s most memorable games of 2016.

The United from Manchester knocked the United from East London out of the 2015-16 FA Cup after a replay.

They did likewise in 2016-17 League Cup with one of the most convincing performances of a roller coaster calendar year.

Yet a 3-2 May defeat at Upton Park meant that United lost out on Uefa Champions League football to Manchester City for this season.

While the majority of the world’s football calendar takes a break, the games are coming thick and fast in England.

Mourinho, who spent last week taking his team for training, twice making quick visits to see his poorly wife in a Lisbon hospital and also finding time to meet United fans at Carrington, rested players against Middlesbrough. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, he believes England should have a winter break.

“It shouldn’t be at Christmas because tradition demands not and tradition plays a role,” the Portuguese told the United We Stand fanzine.

“The commercial point of view is also important, but I would say play the crazy Christmas period but after it has finished, give us a break.

Play Boxing Day, play the 28th and the 31st or New Year’s Day. Kill our Christmas and our families’ Christmas.

“I agree with that, but then please let us breathe, let us recover, give the players 10 days off and then we start again.

“The teams which go through to the knockout phases in Europe would be in a better condition to go again.

I also think that FA Cup replays should end, which they’re doing this season for the quarter-final, and I would try to find a solution where the teams who play in Europe join the domestic cups at a later stage. To play everything at the same time without a winter break is too much.”

Mourinho knows that he has to deal with it. Rather than rest, his side will probably play seven matches in January, including four cup ties, starting with the FA Cup third round against Reading next Saturday — nine games in 32 days.

But at least United, full of confidence, go into another run of intense matches on the type of winning run which has until now eluded them in the difficult post Sir Alex Ferguson years.

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