Comeback win may save Mourinho
Just when Jose Mourinho needed it most, Manchester United dug deep to pull off a gutsy victory for its under-fire manager.
Mourinho, under mounting scrutiny over his position because of poor results and frequent criticism of his players, 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 yesterday.
An animated Mourinho reacted with fury, screaming at his players and gesticulating wildly.
In a five-minute span in the second half, United equalised. The winner came in the 90th minute, when substitute Alexis Sanchez headed home and a much-relieved United ended a run of four matches without a win in all competitions.
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 won at Crystal Palace 1-0, and Huddersfield moved off bottom spot by drawing at Burnley 1-1.
Newcastle, winless in seven previous league outings, could scarcely believe their 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 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 Spain midfielder Juan Mata. Burnley 1 Huddersfield 1, Crystal Palace 0 Wolves 1, Leicester City 1 Everton 2, Tottenham 1 Cardiff 0, Watford 0 Bournemouth 4, Manchester United 3 Newcastle United 2.
Mata, though, pulled a goal back when he curled in a freekick in the 70th and, five minutes later, Anthony Martial cut inside after swapping passes with Paul Pogba to equalise with a venomous low shot.
Sanchez’s late winner completed the fightback.
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.
England midfielder Dier struck his first club goal in 18 months as Tottenham made it three victories in as many league matches.
Cardiff were reduced to 10 when Joe Ralls was sent off in the 58th minute at Wembley Stadium.
Premier League results: