Mourinho seeks response versus Spurs
MANCHESTER: The spotlight is on Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho to deliver a positive response to a week of negative publicity when faced on Monday with an opposite number who has adopted a very different attitude to similar off-field frustrations.
While Mourinho appears at odds with the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and key players like Paul Pogba, Mauricio Pochettino has kept Tottenham on track to travel north with a 100 percent record in the Premier League.
The Argentine is likely to have little sympathy for Mourinho’s complaints about not being backed enough by Woodward in the transfer market after spending over £70 million ($90 million) in the off season on Brazilian international Fred and teenage full-back Diogo Dalot.
Tottenham became the first Premier League side since the introduction of the summer transfer window to fail to sign a single player despite Pochettino delivering a third season of Champions League football on a significantly smaller budget than his competitors. Pochettino has also had to cope with delays to the club’s new 62,000 capacity stadium that will see Spurs play at least their first four games of the season at Wembley.
Pochettino’s pleas for a united front have so far been rewarded in victories over Newcastle and Fulham.
United, on the other hand, were beaten 3-2 by Brighton after their 2-1 win over Leicester in the opening week of the season. A win over Tottenham, in the given circumstances, could be priceless for Mourinho’s side.
CHELSEA WIN
NEWCASTLE: Deandre Yedlin’s late own goal ensured Maurizio Sarri’s perfect start to life in the Premier League continued as Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-1 in a frantic and controversial finish.
The visitors were handed a huge boost 14 minutes from time as referee Paul Tierney ruled Fabian Schar had fouled Marcos Alonso in the box, despite replays suggesting the Switzerland international had got his foot to the ball.
Eden Hazard, in his first Chelsea start of the season, converted the subsequent spot kick. In the 83rd minute, it was Chelsea’s turn to feel aggrieved when Yedlin appeared to elbow Olivier Giroud in the build-up to Joselu’s equaliser, but the American handed Chelsea three points by inadvertently turning in Marcos Alonso’ first-time effort.