Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says club are ‘very positive’ over Sir Alex Ferguson’s recovery from brain haemorrhage

MANCHESTER UNITED are “very positive” about Sir Alex Ferguson’s recovery from a brain haemorrhage, manager Jose Mourinho reported.

Mourinho did not disclose whether he had been to visit the former United manager or spoken to him since he underwent surgery on Saturday, saying: “It’s private. His family asked for privacy and that’s what I’m going to respect.”

But, asked about the feeling among the squad, many of whom have written heartfelt messages on social media, and their hopes for a full recovery, Mourinho said: “We are very positive, we are confident.”

The United boss, meanwhile, does not expect the shock and worry to have a negative effect on his side against West Ham on Thursday.

“I can only think that if there is any relation it is a positive relation,” he added.

Mourinho will be without Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini, who has picked up a muscle problem, against the Hammers, but Alexis Sanchez is fit after missing the defeat by Brighton last Friday.

Lukaku gave an optimistic update on Tuesday about his prospects of recovering from an ankle injury in time for the FA Cup final, and Mourinho said: “That’s what we try.”

Mourinho also revealed club captain Michael Carrick will start the last game of the league season against Watford at Old Trafford on Sunday in what is set to be his final appearance.

The 36-year-old midfielder, who signed for the Red Devils back in 2006, will retire at the end of the season and take up a first-team coaching position.

Mourinho said: “He will start the last match. Old Trafford, last match of the Premier League, our captain in front of our fans.

“The most important quality is to be a man – MAN capitals. He’s a proper man. Football is not full of them, and not just football, society’s not full of them, so when you find one of them, you have to value and you have to keep.

“In this case, it’s not about me, it’s about the club. The club had a great man for many, many years playing football and now when his body says it’s enough, the club and myself we want to keep the man.

“Of course he has qualities that we believe can make him a good coach and there are many ways to do the bridge between player and coaching staff. In this case we decided it’s just to change the shirts, to change dressing rooms and offices and to stop being a player and to be an assistant.

“I think the way I work with my assistants, I give them very good conditions for their evolution and I think Michael can be very positive for us.”