Jose Mourinho has insisted winning the Europa League is a much greater achievement than finishing in the top four, four years after insisting he did not “want my players to feel the Europa League is our competition.”

Manchester United’s defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday meant that they can now mathematically not make the top four, leaving the Europa League as the only way they can qualify for the Champions League.

Against both Spurs and Arsenal the week before, Mourinho has rested the majority of his first-choice stars to save them for their Europa League run – something he insisted he would never do when months after Rafael Benitez guided Chelsea to Europa League glory.

Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Hugo Lloris - 7 Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, foreground right, punches the ball away during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London, England, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) Tim Ireland AP Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Kieran Trippier - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 13: Paul Pogba of Manchester United battles with Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on January 13, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Toby Alderweireld - 6 epa07280491 Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld in action during the English Premier League Soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, Britain 13, January 2019. EPA/NEIL HALL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications NEIL HALL EPA Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Jan Vertonghen - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 13: Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham Hotspur battles for possession with Anthony Martial of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on January 13, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) Clive Rose Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Ben Davies - 6 Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - January 13, 2019 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in action with Tottenham's Ben Davies REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Harry Winks - 7 Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Harry Winks has an unsuccessful shot during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, on January 13, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images ADRIAN DENNIS AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Moussa Sissoko - 4 Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko lies on the pitch with an injury before being substituted during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London, England, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Matt Dunham AP Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Christian Eriksen - 7 Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - January 13, 2019 Manchester United's Paul Pogba in action with Tottenham's Christian Eriksen REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Dele Alli - 6 epa07280467 Tottenham Hotspur Dele Alli (L) vies for the ball against Manchester United Jesse Lingard during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in Wembley stadium in London, Britain, 13 January 2019. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA EPA Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Harry Kane - 7 Tottenham Hotspur's English striker Harry Kane (L) vies with Manchester United's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic (R) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, on January 13, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images ADRIAN DENNIS AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Son Heung-min - 7 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min (left) and Manchester United's Nemanja Matic battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Wembley Stadium, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday January 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Tottenham. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mike Egerton PA Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings David de Gea - 9 Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea celebrates after Marcus Rashford (not pictured) scores his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Wembley Stadium, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday January 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Tottenham. Photo credit should read: John Walton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. John Walton PA Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Ashley Young - 6 Manchester United's English midfielder Ashley Young (R) vies with Tottenham Hotspur's Welsh defender Ben Davies (L) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, on January 13, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images ADRIAN DENNIS AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Victor Lindelof - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 13: Victor Lindelof of Manchester United jumps for a header with Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on January 13, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Mike Hewitt Getty Images Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Phil Jones - 7 Manchester United's Phil Jones heads the ball before Tottenham's Harry Kane, left, during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London, England, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Matt Dunham AP Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Luke Shaw - 6 Tottenham's Harry Kane, left, and Manchester United's Luke Shaw, right, vie for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London, England, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Matt Dunham AP Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Nemanja Matic - 7 Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - January 13, 2019 Manchester United's Nemanja Matic in action with Tottenham's Erik Lamela Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. 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JOHN SIBLEY Action Images via Reuters Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Jesse Lingard - 6 Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - January 13, 2019 Manchester United's Jesse Lingard during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. EDDIE KEOGH REUTERS Tottenham vs Manchester United player ratings Marcus Rashford - 7 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Wembley Stadium, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday January 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Tottenham. 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Speaking in 2013, Mourinho, who had just succeed Benitez as Blues boss, told the BBC: “I don’t want to win the Europa League. It would be a big disappointment for me.

“I don’t want my players to feel the Europa League is our competition.”

However, after the defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, Mourinho completely contradicted these comments, insisting that the other clubs finishing in the top four would prefer to be in Manchester United’s position of challenging for a trophy.

“I don’t know the way the other clubs think; I don’t know what is important for them,” Mourinho said. “At Manchester United, for us it’s more important to win titles than to finish in the top four.

“So if we can win a third title, or as you like to say, a second title, if we can do that it would be magnificent.