LIVERPOOL 0 - 0 MAN UTD

Mourinho contests Opta 35% possession stat v Liverpool

Manchester United manager Mourinho spoke very positively about his team's defensive and controlled display but wasn't prepared to believe the figures put to him.

18/10/2016 11:16

Making a defence for the defence

José Mourinho has made another enemy: the statistics experts. OK, this may be a slight exaggeration but following the no score draw with Liverpool last night there were several fingers being pointed in the Manchester United manager's direction for a disruptive and defensive style of play that resulted in a less than entertaining game.

As Wayne Rooney prepares to comes on is Jose Mourinho yelling orders or yawning? Carl Recine (REUTERS)

When the Opta possession figure was put to Mourinho - one stating that with only 35% of the ball it was the lowest for the club since 2003 when this figure started to be reported - he was not having it and was quick to divert attention.

"Last season United won here and Liverpool had 14 shots and United had one. Today Liverpool two shots? With 65 percent of possession you have to be critical of Liverpool not us. That is their problem not our problem."

Don't believe the experts, believe us

And on that possession stat for the night provided by the experts, the United manager returned to the press conference to counter the claim (thereby slightly contradicting what went before):

"I've just been told it was not 35 percent. It was 42 percent. That is from our guy,"

If his attempt was to remove the idea that his team (against bitter rivals Liverpool) had now achieved a new negative record then all it seems to have done is reinforce it. His challenge has made far more headlines...and at the time of writing Opta still haven't revised their statistic.

35% - Man Utd recorded just 35% possession against Liverpool; their lowest figure in a PL game in Opta's records (2003-present). Passive.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) 17 de octubre de 2016