Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United have enjoyed “evolution at almost every level” in his two seasons in charge at Old Trafford.
Mourinho lifted the Community Shield, EFL Cup and Europa League in his first season after taking the reins in 2016, as well as guiding United to this season’s FA Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur.
United remain on course to finish second in the Premier League, their highest finish since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and Mourinho insists he is happy with the progress because the club was not ready for immediate success when he took over.
“I knew the club I was coming to,” he told Sky Sports. “I know that one thing is to go to a club that is prepared to win and you just need to arrive and give the last touches, to give your personal quality, personal knowledge and the team, and the club, is ready just for the last click.
“I knew that was not the case [at United]. The owners knew that. The CEO, he knew that. So when I came in this period to Manchester United I was ready for this and I knew it was not to come and have [instant] success.
“But, in spite of it, three trophies, three finals, probably a third or fourth [finish in the Premier League] in worst-case scenario. Not bad.”
United face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday looking to record another victory against top-six rivals after wins over Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham in the last two months.
“I know people can say what they want, but [we’ve had] some very good performances, so a lot of things please me,” Mourinho added. “The evolution, in relation to the football team, the evolution at almost every level, more victories, more goals scored, less conceded, and some big performances against the top-six teams.”
Mourinho could face Wenger for the final time this weekend after the Frenchman revealed he will leave the Emirates at the end of the season.
The pair have had their run-ins, with Mourinho referring to Wenger as a “specialist in failure.”
But the United manager is hopeful they can bury the hatchet.
“If he respects me even 50 percent of what I respect him, we can even be friends in the future because I have lots of respect,” Mourinho said. “But this is the reality. He was at Arsenal, he was the champion, I came to the country in 2004, I wanted to steal his title. That is football.
“I respect him a lot. I tried to show that in the past couple of years when there was no problems, a different stage of my career, a different profile, so I feel sorry that after Sir Alex, the next big one, the next iconic one is leaving the Premier League.”
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