Reflecting on a disappointing mid-week defeat to Juventus in the Champions League group stages, Manchester United's Jose Mourinho has identified his latest patsy; the international teams.
With Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp already voicing his criticism of the UEFA Nations League, Mourinho has spread the blame further still.
Lamenting the lack of professionalism within the Portuguese, Belgian, Chilean and Scottish set-ups, Mourinho, speaking ahead of this weekend's game against Everton, made his disappointment clear.
"All of them [who missed the Juventus game were] in the national team," Mourinho reasoned.
"We played against Newcastle and we went into the national team period in a good situation. Then, after two weeks, we lost Dalot in Portugal, we lost Fellaini in Belgium, we lost Alexis in Chile, we lost McTominay with Scotland."
"Some of the national teams were very professional with us, they send the players back and we could start the process early, but some of them, they weren’t and they kept the players.
"We didn’t even know the dimension and the nature of the injury, so when the players arrived here, two days before Chelsea, we have no idea of what is going on.
Resolving to "deal with it" and do what is left to be done, one wonders what part either Diego Dalot or Scott McTominay reasonably would have played in the Champions League tie against Juventus regardless of this inconvenience.
Coming under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, Jose Mourinho will be keen for a positive result against Everton this Sunday. With Bournemouth up after that, Manchester United then face into two crucial ties against Juventus in Turin and Manchester City.
