Jose Mourinho says “trophies matter” when judging Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Anfield, live on Super Sunday.
Liverpool are top of the Premier League after 16 games, but are yet to win a trophy under Klopp, losing two European finals in consecutive seasons.
Mourinho, often vocal about United’s apparent lack of investment in the transfer market, said in August that Liverpool were trying to buy the title after spending £177m on signings in the summer.
Despite receiving criticism for United’s style under his management, Mourinho has won two titles at Old Trafford and suggests Liverpool need to do the same.
“I don’t know if trophies matter, it depends on the way you approach it,” said Mourinho, when asked about Liverpool’s recent lack of silverware.
“I think trophies matter yeah, especially when you have the potential to fight for the trophies and especially when you clearly say the objective is to win the trophy. I think sometimes to say just to say is not very intelligent.
“But when you have the potential you have nothing to hide, you know from day one that your potential and your desire has a relation with the potential, because to say we want to win – everyone can say that.
“Another thing is to say in a conscious way in relation to the potential you have. I don’t read much but I think Jurgen told already that their objective is to win the Premier League.”
United have lacked consistency during Mourinho’s reign, both in terms of philosophy and team selection, with the Portuguese admitting his team are “far” from being in his image.
Mourinho will be unable to field a settled team again on Sunday due to United’s defensive injury crisis. Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Matteo Darmian and Victor Lindelof could all be out.
“In Valencia only David De Gea and Nemanja Matic were available to play and didn’t travel by decision,” added Mourinho. “Apart from that the players that didn’t travel they were not fit to play.
“All of them, they had injuries and they were not ready. All of them they didn’t train yesterday, and today there will be I don’t want to say test, but an introduction into training, to see their adaptation and to see if we can increase tomorrow to have them available for Sunday. I hope some will be, let’s say available, but for sure some will not be.”
