Jose Mourinho debuts new look but claims fixture pile-up is a conspiracy against Man Utd

He sported a new cropped cut as he expressed fears that reaching the League Cup final could hinder Manchester United’s top four hopes.

If they successfully defend their 2-0 first leg semi-final lead against Hull tomorrow and secure their place in the Wembley final on February 26, then their Premier League derby with Manchester City would have to be postponed.

And with United still involved in the Europa League and FA Cup and facing a possible 66-game season, Jose Mourinho is concerned that when the game at the Etihad is re-scheduled it will be on a date that will put them at a disadvantage.

“If we beat Hull and we play the final then we don’t play against Manchester City,” he said. “I’m sure they will choose an amazing moment difficult for us to make us play against them.

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Jose Mourinho bemoaned the fixture pile-up his Manchester United side faces

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Manchester United face Hull tomorrow in their EFL Cup semi-final second leg

“Then Europa League, the non-stop competition. They only have the last 16 in the Champions League but in the Europa League you have to play last 32 and last 16.

“If we are going to progress in all four competitions it’s going to be really difficult.

“But let’s see what happens in this moment. We have a 35 per cent chances to win the League Cup which is the first competition to be decided.”

As for his haircut, Mourinho is just happy that at his age it still grows back – and as he left his press conference he high-fived a follicly-challenged reporter.

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Who will Jose Mourinho start against Hull in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg?

“It is a privilege because I’m the type of guy that can do it [have a short haircut] and in one month have a new head [of hair]. It’s a privilege that I can do it,” he said.

He is delighted to have a vote of confidence from Sir Alex Ferguson as he bids for what would be his fourth appearance in a League Cup final.

“Obviously he’s such an important person in the club and obviously it means a lot but I don’t want to comment,” he said. “I wouldn’t comment even if the comments were negative. But the support I feel from Sir Alex is the support I’ve always felt with him except when I was a direct competitor and playing against his teams

“I always felt this kind of support, I think he felt the same when I was abroad in Italy and Spain.

“Friends supporting each other by a simple text message which means a lot in a certain moment.”

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Jose Mourinho was delighted to have a vote of confidence from Sir Alex Ferguson

Mourinho revealed that Ferguson purposely stays in the back ground, although he has travelled to matches on the team coach on a couple of occasions this season.

He added: “He doesn’t want to be around and come too many times. I think he feels free. I told him that this is his ‘house’ always and forever but just a couple of times.

"But we know that this is his club, his life, and that he is supporting us.”

The perfect birthday present for Mourinho tomorrow will be another trip to Wembley in a competition where he has yet to lose a game over the course of 90 minutes.

His only defeats at Chelsea came in two penalty shoot-outs and an extra-time loss at Sunderland.

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