Mourinho targets a rousing finish

JOSE Mourinho would rather end the season with Europa League glory than a top-four spot as Manchester United plot a rousing finish.

Mourinho saw his side climb into fifth place in the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Middlesbrough and remain firmly in the race for a Champions League spot.

However, he admitted after the game that he would take cup success over a place in the top four.

Mourinho said: "[It's a] big win because it keeps us alive in the fourth position race. It was very important to keep us alive.

"Do I prefer to finish fourth or win the Europa League? I prefer to win the Europa League because the Europa League gives us the same, gives us Champions League football, but gives us a trophy, gives us prestige, gives us a European Super Cup.

"So I would prefer [that]. But maybe we don't win the Europa League, so we have to fight until we can to try to finish fourth. And it's what we did here without many players, but with a great answer in terms of attitude and desire from all the boys.

"It is a massive victory for us."

The win was secured by Marouane Fellaini's first-half header, a thunderous second from Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia's injury-time strike in the wake of a Victor Valdes howler, although Boro substitute Rudy Gestede had briefly sparked hope of a fightback by reducing the deficit to 2-1 with 13 minutes remaining.

But United were good value for their victory on a day when tempers frayed on the pitch as Eric Bailly and Gestede clashed on and off it after the final whistle.

For Boro's interim head coach Steve Agnew, who replaced Mourinho's close friend Aitor Karanka at the helm on Thursday, it proved a mixed afternoon, although he was able to take encouragement from what he saw.

Agnew said: "Their attitude and application, the intensity that they played the game at was first class.

"To push Manchester United all the way was something that I was really pleased with. At 2-0, that's when the players showed their fighting spirit.

"The crowd played a massive part.

"We deserved the goal and on the balance of play at the time, although there wasn't long to go, I could only see us equalising."