Hardy: Mourinho's Monumental Europa League Gamble Will Pay Off

Jose Mourinho has taken a monumental gamble focusing on the Europa League but it's a gamble that will pay off, according to Martin Hardy of the Sunday Times.

Manchester United reached the final of Europe's second-tier competition for the first time in their history with a nervy 2-1 aggregate victory over Celta Vigo on Thursday.

With Mourinho publicly all but writing off his side's chances of a top-four finish, winning the Europa League represents the club's best chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League.

And, with a youthful Ajax lying in wait in Stockholm on May 24, Hardy believes Mourinho's shrewd managerial approach will see United get their hands on the trophy, vindicating the Portuguese's decision to prioritise the competition.

"I think United will win the Europa League, Mourinho has the track record to pull himself through," he told the Sunday Supplement.

"He's taken a monumental gamble writing off the top four and putting everything in the Europa League.

"But, if it comes off, he will end the season with two trophies and qualify for the Champions League with a team that was going nowhere before he arrived."

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Sunday Supplement regular Oliver Holt claimed Mourinho would be a "success in failure" were United to lose the Europa League final, a claim reluctantly echoed by Hardy.

Despite highlighting several flaws with Mourinho's first season at Old Trafford, Hardy felt the campaign would be a success if Mourinho secured the second piece of silverware of his tenure.

"The big worry is that they just don't score goals, and everything you thought Mourinho would take to United he has," he added.

"He's confrontational, the team don't play great football, they draw too many games and everyone is tired of the dull football.

"But if he wins the Europa League he can look ahead to next season, where they will have a shot at the Premier League and Champions League football has been brought back.

"If he doesn't do has he failed? To quote Oliver Holt, I suspect he may be success in failure."

Credit: Skysports.com