Pep Guardiola stands with Jose Mourinho after Manchester United sacking

Mourinho has since been replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford

Wednesday 19 December 2018 12:00 GMT
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Jose Mourinho sacked as Manchester United manager

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Pep Guardiola said he is ‘on Jose Mourinho’s side’ following the Portuguese’s dismissal at Manchester United.

Mourinho leaves United in sixth-place in the Premier League table, 11 points off the top four and qualification for next season’s Champions League.

The Portuguese lost his job due to a combination of poor results, dressing room unrest and failings in the transfer market.

Guardiola has since expressed his sympathy with his long-term rival, insisting that “we managers are alone”.

“Well when it happens I am always sad for the managers,” Guardiola said in the wake of Manchester City’s EFL Cup win over Leicester. “So when that manager is in that situation it is no good, we are alone.

“I am on his side. We managers are alone. He is a tough man. He will come back soon.

“[But in football] it does happen. And you know what happens when you are sacked, it is because the results are not good.

“But of course he doesn’t need me, he is so strong. I wish him all the best and soon he is going to come back and we are going to play again.”

A club statement on Tuesday morning read: “Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect.

“The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.”

Former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has since been announced as United’s interim manager, with the club due to appoint a long-term successor to Mourinho in the summer.

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