Column - Special again? He’s getting there

JUST when you thought Jose Mourinho was doing a pretty good juggling act to keep Man United in three knock-out competitions as well as top four contention, he appears ready to let one cup slip. Or does he?
His reaction to having to go to Chelsea, of all places, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup sounded very much like he was getting his excuses in early. If he loses, we will no doubt hear them again but we can be just as sure that that they were also the first salvo in that favourite pre-match ritual of his — mind games.
"Chelsea can only think about that [the Cup] because I think they are champions and have nothing else to play for," he said after winning 2-1 at Blackburn. "The FA Cup is something important for them. I have so many things to think about."
He has a valid point, of course. But if taken at face value, the effect that could have on the side when they return to the scene of their 4-0 drubbing in October could be devastating. Back then there was no apparent pre-match defeatism and they were hit by a whirlwind, conceding within 30 seconds.
Chelsea didn't let up and it was Mourinho's biggest defeat in the Premier League. His "consolation goal" was to lecture Antonio Conte about behaviour in front of his former crowd. The Italian was commendably restrained in his response and has continued to let his team do the talking.
Stamford Bridge is a daunting prospect for both United and their manager, and disappointment was understandable when there are as many minnows left in the sixth round draw as big fish. But he's more cunning than to simply hoist the white flag.
Although it would have been the last place he wanted to go, given how much his stock has fallen there in the past 18 months, he must make the best of it. And, looking from the vantage point of a manager scorned, where better to restore a degree of lost credibility and exact the sweetest revenge?
After a dodgy start to his Old Trafford tenure, during which neither he nor his team appeared their true selves, the Portuguese is coming to terms with the job and still has United heavily involved in all four competitions.
In the autumn, with the manager living out of a suitcase, it seemed that United had swapped the Louis van Gaal straitjacket for Mourinho's crumpled suit. With goals and Joseisms equally hard to come by, he was a pale shadow of the cocky, all-conquering Special One of a previous life.
But now the outlook is very different: his free-transfer signing is on 24 goals, ostracised big names are back in the fold and he's neither neglected youth nor parked the bus. Even the swagger is hinting at a comeback.
Next for him to think about is St Etienne, the most hostile of French stadia where he'll be grateful to take a 3-0 cushion. Barring a disaster, it should be enough to inch his way towards the Europa League trophy. Then it's a tilt at another bit of second-grade silverware against Southampton in Sunday's League Cup final.
Since this was the first trophy he won on English soil, Mourinho has always had a soft spot for the much-maligned tournament and will be going all out to make it his first success at United too. He knows the value of momentum, that winning can be a habit to carry to more exalted occasions.
It has taken a while, but he is gradually regaining his mojo. United's only defeat since November 3 was at Hull in the League Cup second leg but they still won the tie. At Blackburn, they fielded an electric attacking quartet of Jesse Lingard, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial before Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba came on to seal the deal. The side oozed pace, youth and attacking guile if the defence lived dangerously at times.
Even before the game, Mourinho was sounding more like his old, incorrigible self. Commenting on the seismic upsets on Saturday he suggested not all foreign managers understood the culture of this country: "… because you think it's easy and it's not easy. Also, the lower league's teams they are getting better and better."
Conte also used the wins by Lincoln and Millwall against Premier League opponents to ensure there was no complacency in the Chelsea side he took to Wolves. It seems that taking the opponents too lightly is about the only way the Blues are going to slip up - something that Mourinho is already working on.
If he were to pull off an unlikely win against them next month, he would show his old club that he really hasn't become a bad manager overnight.
But he will also know that cups of whatever category are mere baubles: only by returning to the Champions League next season will he once again be the Special One.