Jose Mourinho concedes Manchester United were fortunate to beat Southampton

Eileen Morales

online-broadband-guide.co.uk

00:14 | Monday, Feb 27, 2017

Yet a glass half-full reading of this is that guiding United to Sunday's final is a particular positive given the relative weakness of the side he inherited compared with those at Chelsea. United could still potentially win a further two trophies this season and getting a taste for victory at Wembley may only increase their appetite for more silverware.

An impressive 4-0 aggregate win saw them comfortably ease into the next round.

United must face Russian side FC Rostov in the last 16, a draw which hands them a hard journey just four days before facing Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Prediction: Manchester United is undoubtedly the stronger club, but it has played three matches in the last seven days, while Southampton has had two weeks to prepare.

"In a match where our opponents were better than us for long periods of the game, they deserved to go to extra-time, they did not deserve to lose over 90 minutes".

Asked about the fact he wasn't smiling despite the win, Mourinho insisted: "I'm very happy".

"But I think at the same time it is good for us to realise how football is, and we need to adapt to it".

While supporters are used to being linked with massive names at Old Trafford, it hasn't been any different under the Portuguese boss with big links to a summer deal with Antoine Griezmann.

Southampton may not have as many cup wins, but they got to the final with an impressive victory over Liverpool, putting the Reds away 2-0 on aggregate. I have so many good things in my career that I wouldn't be influenced by a little detail. The reality is we want more.

Mourinho complained bitterly about the Europa League Round of 16 draw which paired Manchester United with Russian team Rostov. For United this is Ibrahimovic, with Mourinho saying any serious layoff for the 24-goal man would be a "disaster".

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