Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have received a huge advantage after their victory over Jose Mourinho and Manchester United on Saturday. However, while he didn’t mention it post match, Mourinho had already lamented that his players might not be in the best frame of mind for the derby over a week ago. Speaking with MUTV at the start of the international break, Mourinho criticised the timing of the international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers ahead of the Manchester derby. He further elaborated on his lack of preparation saying: “Some (players) are coming back on the Monday before the Manchester City match but some are coming back on Friday. In total, seven United players were reported to face late fitness tests having returned from international duty with injury concerns.

Source: Hindustan Times September 11, 2016 12:22 UTC