Mourinho: Confidence Levels Are Important

Jose Mourinho has stressed the importance of his Manchester United squad expressing the right levels of confidence on the pitch.
 
The Reds have enjoyed a flying start to the Premier League season, recording three wins and three clean sheets whilst scoring 10 goals to top the table at the end of August, but face a tough first game after the international break with a trip to Stoke City on Saturday.
  
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mourinho insisted it's very important that the players demonstrate the correct degree of confidence over the coming few matches.

"Extra confidence is very dangerous and fear is even more dangerous," he said. "I think fear we don't have for sure, confidence we have, but we have to make sure the right level of confidence is there." 

The Reds are heading into a busy period of seven games in 22 days in three different competitions, but Mourinho feels the squad is ready and he is pleased with the options available to him.

"My feeling is the squad is strong, the players are strong, the players are united, the atmosphere is very good, is very positive, so we don't fear any challenge," the boss declared.

"But we know that the Premier League and Champions League in the next two matches is where the quality is, where the difficulties are, so we know that it's going to be difficult." 

With the team gearing up to play two games per week this month, the boss also confirmed he plans to utilise the strength in depth within his squad during the upcoming hectic schedule.

“It's very difficult for a player to play seven matches plus the national team matches that they had the week before," he added. "Normally nobody plays every game and normally everybody has a chance to play and that’s what they work for and why you have a good squad with players and good numbers.

"It's easier for me in terms of the motivation of the group. I was always telling the group that first month would be difficult because we had one match per week and there was not much reason to make rotations to change players. But September is compulsory – we have to make changes so every player is ready."