I Caused My Slow Start, Not Mourinho – Mkhitaryan

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has taken the blame for his slow start at Manchester United, saying that the problem was him and not the club’s manager Jose Mourinho.

The attacking midfielder, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, started against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sept. 10 and then did not play again for nearly two months, returning on Nov. 3 against Fenerbahce in the Europa League.

The Armenian admitted he had a “bad game” against City, but feels he did a “great job” to get back into the side.

“There was no bad relation with him [Mourinho], it was always good, but the problem wasn’t him, it was me,” Mkhitaryan told Sky Sports.

“Now I understand why I’ve got my chance and I will keep it and I will hold it because it is very important for me to play, to be a part of Manchester United.

“I was thinking that I would be here as a starting lineup player but, when I arrived, I saw that there were 25 players fighting for their place and I understood that it is not going to be easy.

“I had a bad game against Manchester City but that is in the past so I kept working. I have done a great job to get my chance back. It was a really long way until I started playing.”

Since returning as a substitute against Fenerbahce, he has made a further four appearances for United — including three starts in the matches against Feyenoord in the Europa League, West Ham in the EFL Cup and Everton in the Premier League.

When asked if it is a turning point in his United career, Mkhitaryan replied: “I hope so because it is really very important to play in every game, doing your best, because if you are not going to do your best then you are not going to play in the next game.

“The manager has a lot of choice. He has five or six players in that position but I know that playing now I know what I have done bad in the past and what I can do good in the future. So I know how I can help the team and I will keep doing my best.”