Jose Mourinho warns his Manchester United players not to underestimate Southampton in the EFL Cup final

Mourinho is determined to win his first major trophy with Manchester United

Mourinho has demanded his players win the EFL Cup (Getty)

Jose Mourinho has warned his Manchester United players not to underestimate Southampton when the two teams meet in the EFL Cup final on Sunday.

United won 2-0 when the two teams met in the Premier League earlier this season but Mourinho is expecting a tougher match at Wembley, as Southampton aim to win a major trophy for the first time since 1976, when they beat United 1-0 in the FA Cup final.

“If Southampton want it more than us on Sunday then they will win the match,” said Mourinho. “So we have to make sure that they do not want it more than us.

“Of course they want it a lot. But I do not think that they want it more than us. I think the best team on the pitch will win and it will not depend on motivations.”

Mourinho has made no secret of his desire to win every competition his Manchester United side are involved in and has frequently selected full-strength sides in the EFL Cup and Europa League, competitions United’s top-four rivals have often selected their fringe players for.

Mourinho is keen to do well in all competitions (Getty)

Manchester United’s manager however sees only the opportunity for glory, although he conceded fighting on all fronts is increasingly difficult in the modern game.

“It's a much important trophy,” he added in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “I think it's always good to win. It doesn't matter what comes next, it doesn't matter the impact. I don't believe it will have an impact.

“I think when you have a taste of good things, you want to repeat. When you are used to winning and you don't win, you miss it and you don't accept it. You are always chasing for more success so it's a good thing for them.

“We all know the history of this club. We all know football is changing. We all know that it is much difficult than it was before.”

Mkhitaryan was injured in France (Getty)

Mourinho’s habit of always picking his strongest side does have its disadvantages and in the club’s 1-0 victory over French outfit AS Saint-Étienne in the Europa League, both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick pulled up with injuries that have ruled them out of Sunday’s match.

That has potentially created an opening for Wayne Rooney to feature in the final, who this week snubbed a potentially lucrative move to the Chinese Super League in favour of remaining in Manchester until at least the end of the season.

Rooney could feature at Wembley (Getty)

“He is an option for me. A final is a special match and he's an option for me,” Mourinho said of the playing chances of his club captain.

“I have to make a decision. You know that we normally play two different systems. Sometime we play with two midfield players and a No.10 if you want to call it that.

“Sometimes we play with a No.6 and two midfield players in front. Without Mkhitaryan, if we want to play with a No.10, obviously Wayne, it's his position. It's where he was playing with us for many matches.”