Manchester United vs Stoke: Marko Arnautovic looks to prove Jose Mourinho his ‘child’ days are past him
The Austrian international is looking to prove a point to the Special One as Stoke take on Manchester United on Sunday
MARKO ARNAUTOVIC is ready to show Jose Mourinho he has put his “child” days behind him.
The Austrian is looking to sink the Special One for the second season running in his 100th Premier League game for Stoke at Old Trafford today.
Mourinho labelled him “a fantastic person but has the attitude of a child”.
But Arnautovic got his own back last season when his winner against Chelsea pushed the coach closer to the sack at Stamford Bridge.
Now the attacking midfielder, 27, is hoping for a repeat performance, with Potters boss Mark Hughes desperate for a first league win of the season.
Hughes insists “Arnie” is a very different character to the one with the bad-boy reputation who Mourinho dealt with when in Italy.
Arnautovic is now a family man and has shaken off the problems that saw him making headlines for the wrong reasons on the Continent.
He signed a new Stoke deal last summer and Hughes insists he is a key player.
Sparky said: “I think Jose was always aware of Marko’s talent.
“He has worked with him at first hand, but clearly Marko was a different guy and maybe a bit different in terms of his view on his football at that time.
“Clearly he has matured. He’s a married man now with kids and a senior player, which he never was when he worked with Jose in Milan.
“So he’s at a different point in his career and he has a different responsibility to our group compared to the one he had in Milan.”
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Arnautovic has rarely stepped out of line at Stoke — and Hughes had no hesitation in pushing for a new deal for the player this summer.
He added: “We’ve never seen that bad-boy image.
“I think he’s come here and enjoyed the Premier League and what we’ve been able to give him.
“That was illustrated quickly by the fact he re-signed. That was a big moment for us.
“It was important for him as an individual to be settled and know where he is going to be, and for the group itself.
“That’s because he is a big personality and a big player for us. He’s been here almost as long as I’ve been here, so he’s been a big part of what we’ve been able to achieve for the past three seasons.
“Moving forward, we want him to be part of any success we have in the future as well.”
Arnautovic scored 11 goals for the Potters last season and Hughes added: “He’s got a lot of things that he needs in his football life here and that enables him to perform.
“Maybe in the past he didn’t have all the elements he needed.”
But Hughes believes the player has no feud with Mourinho now, and said: “I think it was just a moment in time when they were in the same place. But clearly it wasn’t to be. I don’t think he has any axe to grind with Jose.
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“It didn’t work out for whatever reason, but Marko now is a more mature player and person.
“If you work with players at close quarters then clearly you’re going to have a view on them.
“But players change and evolve as they progress their careers, so they are different players at the beginning and at the end.
“On his day Marko is an explosive, game-changing footballer and they are coveted by everybody
“There are always teams who would want a player like Marko. We’re very fortunate that he’s comfortable and happy here.”
Hughes is relishing a return to the club where he made his name as a player and where he is still regarded with huge respect.
He added: “I always use it as a motivation.
“I’ve always viewed Man United as one of the top teams in the world and I was fortunate as a player to have so many years there — and so many great years.
“They are one of the top teams and as a professional manager I want to beat the best because that’s the challenge you place on yourself.”