Man U’s rally gives Mourinho a lift
Players fight back for embattled manager in dramatic win over Newcastle
LONDON — Just when Jose Mourinho needed it most, Manchester United dug deep to pull off a gutsy victory for its under-fire manager.
Mourinho, facing mounting speculation he’ll be fired because of poor results and frequent criticism of his players, was a picture of abject misery on the touchline as United went down 2-0 against Newcastle after only 10 minutes of their English Premier League match at Old Trafford on Saturday.
An animated Mourinho reacted with fury, screaming at his players and gesticulating wildly.
In a five-minute span in the second half, United equalized. The winner in a 3-2 final came in the 90th minute, when substitute Alexis Sanchez headed the ball home and a much-relieved United ended a run of four matches without a win in all competitions.
Mourinho lashed out at his detractors.
“As a friend of mine was saying to me this morning, if tomorrow it rains in London, it is my fault,” Mourinho said. “If there is some difficulties with the agreements of Brexit, it is my fault.
“I think a lot of wickedness, and clear man-hunting, in football is too much. It is my life. It is a life I love, and since I was a kid, I work for this.”
Meanwhile, Eric Dier led third-place Tottenham past Cardiff 1-0, and Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a spectacular goal to help Everton defeat Leicester 2-1.
Bournemouth won at Watford 4-0, Wolverhampton blanked Crystal Palace 1-0, and Huddersfield moved off the bottom of the standings by drawing at Burnley 1-1.
Leader Manchester City and second-place Liverpool meet on Sunday, while Chelsea faces Southampton and Arsenal plays London rival Fulham.
UNITED PREVAILS
Newcastle, winless in seven previous league outings, could scarcely believe its luck at Old Trafford as wing back Kenedy, a former player of Mourinho’s during his second spell at Chelsea, sprinted through the middle of the defence to open the scoring.
Then, in the 10th minute, there was a stunned silence among the United home fans when United’s sleepy defence allowed Yoshinori Muto to turn easily in the penalty area and beat goalie David de Gea with a low shot.
An embarrassed Eric Bailly took on the role of United fall guy when Mourinho hauled off the Ivory Coast centre half after only 19 minutes and replaced him with Spain midfielder Juan Mata.
Mata, though, pulled a goal back when he curled in a free kick in the 70th and, five minutes later, Anthony Martial cut inside after swapping passes with Paul Pogba to equalize with a venomous low shot.
Sanchez completed the fight back.
“Marcus Rashford was sad on the pitch, Scott McTominay was scared on the pitch,” Mourinho said of the way two of his young players performed in the first half. “Even older players commit mistakes that are not normal.
“At halftime we had a good conversation. We didn’t promise that we would win the match. We promised we would give absolutely everything without any fear, without any pressure, just the pressure of giving everything, and of course, they gave everything. We fought so much.”
SIGURDSSON STUNNER
Iceland playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson produced a contender for goal of the season for Everton. Sigurdsson collected Idrissa Gueye’s pass before a quick turn away from Leicester’s James Maddison allowed him to take a touch and unleash a bullet from 25 yards into the top corner of the net.
Everton’s cause was helped when Leicester captain Wes Morgan was sent off.
DIER LIFTS SPURS
England midfielder Dier struck his first club goal in 18 months as Tottenham made it three victories in as many league matches.
Cardiff was reduced to 10 when Joe Ralls was sent off in the 58th minute at Wembley Stadium.
OTHER GAMES
Norway striker Joshua King scored two goals and set up another to inspire Bournemouth at Watford, another team to play with 10 after Christian Kabasele was sent off in the 33rd minute.
Huddersfield rallied to draw with Burnley for only its third point.