United recovers to win, Mourinho lashes out
LONDON — Just when Jose Mourinho needed it most, Manchester United dug deep to pull off a gutsy victory.
The under-fire manager still managed to lash out at detractors after the 3-2 victory over Newcastle on Saturday, claiming he would even be blamed for the weather and the progress of Brexit negotiations.
After a newspaper report that he could be fired because of poor results and frequent criticism of his players, Mourinho was a picture of abject misery on the touchline as United went 2-0 down against Newcastle after only 10 minutes of their English Premier League match at Old Trafford.
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 came in the 90th minute, when substitute Alexis Sanchez headed home and United ended a run of four matches without a win in all competitions.
Mourinho was relieved, but still irritated by weeks of criticism.
“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.”
United moved six points behind frontrunners Manchester City and Liverpool, which plays today. Tottenham, which beat Cardiff 1-0, is a point off in third.
UNITED PREVAILS
Newcastle, winless in seven previous league outings, could scarcely believe its luck early on in Manchester. 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 in the seventh minute.
Within three minutes, United’s sleepy defence allowed Yoshinori Muto to turn easily in the penalty area and beat goalkeeper 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 midfielder Juan Mata.
Mata, though, pulled a goal back when he curled in a free kick in the 70th. Six minutes later, Anthony Martial cut inside after swapping passes with Paul Pogba to equalize with a venomous low shot.
Sanchez completed the fightback.
SIGURDSSON STUNNER
With Everton enjoying a man advantage after Leicester captain Wes Morgan was dismissed, Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a stunning goal in the 77th to seal a 2-1 win. The Everton playmaker 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.
DIER LIFTS SPURS
Eric Dier struck his first club goal in 18 months in the 8th as Tottenham made it three victories in as many league matches and left Cardiff still searching for its first win.
Cardiff was reduced to 10 when Joe Ralls was sent off in the 58th minute at Wembley Stadium.