Jose Mourinho has demanded more consistency from his Manchester United side, despite the Red Devils cruising to another 4-0 Premier League victory on Saturday.
United thumped lowly Crystal Palace in comprehensive fashion at Old Trafford, with Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini’s brace doing the damage.
It represents their fourth 4-0 triumph of the campaign, but Mourinho was left disappointed by elements of his side’s display.
‘Three points were very important,’ Mourinho told Sky Sports.
‘I told the players we had to respect and play seriously against an opponent in a difficult situation but are better than the results are saying.
‘Probably the result is bigger than our performance because I don’t think our performance was consistent. We had good periods, good moments, always control of the game.
‘But I think we could do better, but the important thing are the three points, that’s it.’
Mata’s goal three minutes in set the tone for another impressive win, with Fellaini’s double all-but wrapping up the points prior to Lukaku netting his 11th United goal late on.
And Mourinho, who sold Mata while Chelsea boss, was quick to praise the Spanish playmaker, along with United’s more experienced players.
‘I need good players and I need good people,’ Mourinho told reporters.
‘I need some people with maturity, with the concept of ‘team’. I know the new generation of players are more individuals because their entourage and society makes them this way.
‘So to have people like Mata, [Ander] Herrera, [Antonio] Valencia and [Nemanja] Matic – i’m just giving you a few examples, there are more – is very important.
‘It’s great to have these players, because as managers we do not have an easy life now.’