Manchester United came back from two goals down to defeat Newcastle and players have called on the team to repeat that second-half performance – but it may not be that easyRomelu Lukaku crystallised what many fans believe when he said that Manchester United should always storm forward as they did in an exhilarating second half against Newcastle United.The final 45 minutes had José Mourinho’s team in the “attack‑attack-attack” mode that is the United way but has become a near-collector’s item under their manager. It is the biggest grievance against Mourinho from supporters who will countenance defeat but only if the side go down swinging. Related: Luke Shaw a doubt for England’s matches against Croatia and Spain Related: Sánchez seals dramatic...
The Chilean forward is the latest scapegoat at Manchester United but the real problems come from the very topWith 32 minutes gone at Old Trafford an unusual event took place. Alexis Sánchez did something. Not something to make the highlights reel. Or indeed to pay back any significant part of the £130,000 of actual human wealth Sánchez earned for being a Manchester United player on Tuesday .With the score 0-0 and the game drifting – unless specifically stated otherwise, this game was always drifting – United won a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Sánchez spotted it, paused, then punted the ball hard and flat on to the head of the nearest defender. Related: José Mourinho says he was happy with...
A dissatisfied José Mourinho clashing with a disenchanted Paul Pogba shows how much the club misses Sir Alex FergusonA new dimension to the José Mourinho-Paul Pogba saga has been provided by Dimitar Berbatov, rapidly making a name for himself in a Sybil Fawlty specialist-subject-the bleedin’-obvious kind of way as a spokesman for a gambling company. “Football should be about what happens on the pitch, not who has the biggest dick,” the former Manchester United striker said. “I’m fed up of seeing these headlines, you are all grown-ups and this sort of thing really needs to be kept in-house.” Related: No love left as José Mourinho’s scowl sums up Manchester United mood | Daniel Taylor Continue reading...
The bond the manager once was able to forge with players appears to have gone completely at Old Trafford, even if fans may still back him against a petulant Paul PogbaThe most startling thing, looking at José Mourinho, close-up, as he tried to pretend everything was still OK, were the dark rings beneath his eyes. His stare was wild, the eyes rheumier than we have seen them before. He looked, frankly, as if he needed a good night’s sleep. Sam Allardyce once noted how David Moyes had aged 10 years at Manchester United and it is starting to seem as if the same could be said of the current manager.OK, it’s a football game, not a fashion parade, but if...
After the Special One and the Grumpy One the Manchester United manager’s new direction appears to be a popular oneThere may have been more rivetingly awkward televised football interviews in the last few seasons than José Mourinho’s rivetingly awkward post-match exchange with the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday. But not many of them. And none as rivetingly awkward in quite the same way – awkward to an end, pointedly awkward, awkward with a certain kind of gain in mind; and above all, just really awkward. Related: Mourinho headline grabbing ‘shielding’ Manchester United’s players – Matic Mourinho has only really been his best when he has been the underdog, coming from outside the elite to...