Manchester United’s players have Coventry’s Jack Grimmer to thank for ensuring they can travel to Dubai on Monday for warm-weather training.
Having played seven times in 20 days over the festive period, United, who beat Derby 2-0 in the FA Cup on Friday night, are not in action again until they host Stoke on Monday, Jan. 15.
Manager Jose Mourinho will use the intervening period to take his team to Dubai next week on a trip that was dependent on the outcome of Saturday’s FA Cup clash between Coventry and Stoke.
Had that contest, or United’s own tie with the Rams, ended all square, a subsequent replay for either of the Premier League sides would have ensured Stoke’s visit to Old Trafford would have been brought forward.
That would have prevented Mourinho and his players from jetting off to Dubai, so Grimmer’s 68th-minute winner as League Two Coventry won 2-1 against the Potters would have been celebrated by the United squad too.
Speaking after his side’s win over the Rams, Mourinho said: “If you have a replay, we don’t go to Dubai and everybody wants to go.
“Did you see the players celebrating the second goal? Everybody wants to have a week of good training, good facilities, sun.
“It still depends on Stoke’s result. If Stoke get a draw we don’t go to Dubai.”