Mourinho: I've never liked players as much as I like United's

Following the disappointing yet respectable 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the Super Cup final, Jose Mourinho has claimed this current group of players is his favourite of any he’s managed. 

We deserve the rest tomorrow and on Thursday we will start, we go for it with everything. I’m so happy to be the manager of these guys, I told them a few days ago that during my long career I never had a group that I liked so much, like I like them. I’m really happy to be with them and I’m going to fight with them all the way, so let’s go on Sunday. Old Trafford is waiting for us and I think Old Trafford has a reason to be behind us.

Marouane Fellainin replaced Ander Herrera in the second half and put in a good shift. Mourinho has claimed his fighting spirit, particularly to play on following a clash of heads, typifies the group. 

The group is fantastic and Marouane is just an example of that group, of that spirit we have. We were losing 2-0 against a fantastic team and, after 2-0, the next ball is a double chance with an open goal, amazing reaction, and then we go to 2-1. Then Marouane was injured but he kept going. Then we missed the Rashford chance only with the keeper to beat. We fought really until Cristiano got onto the pitch and I have to say that I’m really happy because although we lost a game and we lost a cup, we didn’t lose the season. The season is here, the season started today but our Premier League starts on Sunday for us and we are better now than when we were last season when we won the Europa League.