- United have flown to Dubai for a stint of warm weather training in Middle East
- Mourinho shared a video of a downpour outside One&Only Royal Mirage Hotel
- The Red Devils are taking a break in Dubai following the hectic festive period
Jose Mourinho’s plans for a warm weather training camp to deliver a mid-season boost did not get off to the best start.
The Manchester United boss and his playing squad were greeted by inclement conditions which were more akin to Didsbury than Dubai.
The United boss shared a video of a torrential downpour outside Dubai’s One&Only Royal Mirage Hotel on Monday.
Jose Mourinho shared a video of a downpour outside Dubai’s One&Only Royal Mirage Hotel
The Red Devils are taking a break following the hectic festive period, before returning to Premier League action to face Stoke.
The United squad boarded their flight from Manchester Airport as an almost complete collective, but for star striker Romelu Lukaku and defender Matteo Darmian, who are already out in the Emirate waiting for their team-mates to arrive.
Mourinho, who has seen his side falter in recent weeks, has spoken of the key benefits of such a trip.
Jose Mourinho led his Manchester United side out at the airport before their trip to Dubai
‘We need to recover but at the same time we also need to train because during this crazy time we have not had many times to work on details that you want to work on,’ he told United’s official website .
‘It’s been more about the recovery from the match and the travelling and the preparations for the next one without time to work.
‘If we can have time to have a good, nice week to recover some injured players and tired players and, at the same time, work on some tactical details I think it would be good for the second part of the season,’ Mourinho added.
Captain Michael Carrick has handed the team a boost by making the travelling party
United were initially unsure whether they could make the trip, with the visit to Dubai’s One&Only Royal Mirage Hotel hinging on Stoke’s FA Cup third-round clash with Coventry.
A potential replay would have seen United’s fixture with Stoke moved, denying the chance to head off to the training camp.
Fortunately for Mourinho and Co the Potters were downed by their League Two opposition, meaning the Premier League clash will go ahead on the date originally planned.
United will check into the One&Only Mirage Hotel, one of Dubai’s plush establishments
