Premier League week 8
Manchester United completed a huge comeback victory in the second half against Newcastle United, 3-2. Unbelievably bad in the first half and down 2-0 at the break against the Magpies, Mourinho’s men finally decided to play in the second half and scored three goals in the last 20 minutes [Mata, Martial, Sanchez].
Enough to save Mourinho?
The win was both ugly and spectacular at the same time. Manchester United was disorganized in the first half and was going nowhere. In the second half they brought intensity and a much more structured football. Passes were delivered quicker and players played with aggressiveness.
Unexpected scorers
Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez are today’s scorers for Man Utd. They all have one thing in common. They scored their first goal in the Premier League this season after 8 games. Despite the win Manchester United is far from being cured and Mourinho’s job far from secured.
The Portuguese coach shares his relief after the hard-fought victory:
I think, at half-time, we had a good conversation. We didn’t promise to each other that we are going to win the match, because we couldn’t promise that.
We promised each other that we were going to give absolutely everything without any fear, without any pressure, just the pressure of giving everything and, of course. They gave everything and I don’t want to say that we were lucky, because we fought so much for that.
I think the boys they deserve [it], but even if the game ends with the 2-2, even if we don’t score the last goal, the feeling would be a positive feeling. because as I was saying, nobody can promise to win matches. But a professional should promise to give everything and the boys they gave this.
If the players play just for the manager, they are not good professionals because, one day, they like the manager and they play for them, and the next day comes a manager they don’t like and they don’t play for him, but they still get the money. So I think it’s ridiculous talk.
What I ask the players was exactly to give absolutely everything. Of course we had some little tactical touches, of course we risked a lot, of course we went in different directions. We were trying to find the best way to play and. In the end, we won the match that I think we deserved to win. I think we deserved to win, I think the fans deserved to win. This is what a football club is and Manchester United is a big football club.”
