Slow-starting Man U launches latest comeback in EPL draw
It seemingly needs a sleepy start to a game to jolt Manchester United’s players into action these days.
Their latest stirring comeback came at Southampton on Saturday.
Trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes against a team without a win in three months, United recovered to draw 2-2 for a result that leaves Jose Mourinho’s side 16 points off the lead in the English Premier League after just 14 games.
That lead was extended by Manchester City, which beat Bournemouth 3-1 to go five points clear of second-placed Liverpool.
Mourinho joked recently that United’s slow starts are causing his hair to turn white.
On Saturday, perhaps it was no surprise United struggled early on with Mourinho reacting to a crisis at centre back by fielding a back three featuring centre midfielders Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay.
“I’m always confident, but always doubtful at the same time because we don’t start well many times,” Mourinho said. “Today, we had a reason for the fragility.”
Mourinho also said United lacked “mad dogs” in midfield to press opponents.
Stuart Armstrong drove home an angled finish for Southampton’s opening goal in the 13th, and Cedric Soares curled a free kick into the top corner for 2-0.
That sparked what is fast becoming a trademark recovery from United.
Romelu Lukaku ran onto a pass from Marcus Rashford to shoot high into the net in the 33rd for his first goal for United since Sept. 15. More impressive work from Rashford led to the second goal, the striker crossing for Ander Herrera to flick in deftly at the near post.
In the race for a top-four finish to qualify for the Champions League, which might be a minimum requirement for Mourinho to stay in his job, United is six points behind fourth-place Chelsea, whose game in hand is against Fulham today. RECORD-BREAKER STERLING It was no surprise to see Raheem Sterling on the scoresheet for Man City. After all, Bournemouth just can’t keep him down.
The winger became the first player to score in his first six Premier League appearances against a single opponent when he put City 2-1 up from close range at Etihad Stadium. Among the goals in that streak was a winner seven minutes into injury time at Bournemouth in the third game of the last season.
Ilkay Gundogan made sure of maximum points in the 79th for a City side that didn’t find its groove until the final stages, with manager Pep Guardiola’s five changes seeing the team struggle for fluency early on.
Bernardo Silva’s 16th-minute goal was City’s only shot on target in the first half and was cancelled out by Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson on the stroke of halftime.
Guardiola said top scorer Sergio Aguero was missing because of muscle fatigue. MAKING AMENDS Leicester playmaker James Maddison was desperate to make amends for his embarrassing red card for diving last weekend. With one of the best goals of the season in the Premier League, he did exactly that against Watford.
Maddison brought down a long ball forward, juggled the ball past his marker, and sent a low volley into the bottom corner from just inside the area for Leicester’s second goal in a 2-0 win at King Power Stadium.
Jamie Vardy’s 12th-minute penalty, after the striker himself was brought down, gave Leicester the lead. The win lifted the team into seventh above Watford.