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Jose Mourinho reminds Burton's Nigel Clough of his legendary father Brian

Jose Mourinho and Brian Clough have similar styles, says Nigel Clough
Image: Jose Mourinho and Brian Clough have similar styles, says Nigel Clough

Burton boss Nigel Clough admits he sees plenty of similarities between his father Brian and Jose Mourinho.

The Brewers manager has drawn comparisons between the pair ahead of Burton's trip to Manchester United on Wednesday evening, live on Sky Sports Football.

They go to Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup third round with United joint top of the Premier League and seemingly back on track under Mourinho after struggling since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

Live Carabao Cup

In his first season in charge last year the Portuguese won the League Cup and also clinched the Europa League to return United to the Champions League for the first time in two years.

Jose's League Cup record
Jose's League Cup record

Mourinho needs one more League Cup winners' medal to become the competition's most successful manager

And Clough can see similarities with Mourinho and his charismatic late father Brian, who won two European Cups, four League Cups and the old First Division title at Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough  at the City Ground on May 1, 1993
Image: Clough Snr won two European Cups, four League Cups and the First Division title at Forest

"I think just the way they go about it and the way that they deal with things in such a no-nonsense manner," Clough said.

"It's black or it's white and that's it. If a player does the job for him he has him in and if he doesn't that's it.

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"I think they look at things in very similar ways in that department.

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The Portuguese says he is taking the Carabao Cup tie against Burton seriously

"I think the way he (Mourinho) deals with the press and the media, there are similarities there but he's just no-nonsense and says what he thinks and that's the biggest similarity.

"I have spoken to him but not met him. He did the foreword for the 'I Believe in Miracles' book. The Forest thing.

"So I spoke to him briefly over that - so I'm looking forward to it."

Nigel Clough stands dejected during the Sky Bet Championship match at the Riverside Stadium
Image: Nigel Clough says there are plenty of similarities between his late father and Jose Mourinho

Clough was manager when Burton last faced United in the FA Cup in 2006, drawing 0-0 at the Pirelli Stadium to book a replay.

They were beaten 5-0 at Old Trafford but it earned the club a £500,000+ pay day when they were just Conference part-timers and in their first season at the newly-built Pirelli.

"I think the chairman (Ben Robinson) was in tears. Seriously. He was crying, such was the whole emotion of the day as much as anything," Clough added.

"He knew at the time what getting that replay meant for the club going forward."

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