This could prove a turning point for Mourinho
MANCHESTER UNITED’S derby triumph will go down as the day Paul Pogba inspired a turnaround but for me, this was more about Jose Mourinho. Pogba cannot get sacked but Mourinho can, so do not underestimate how enormous this result was for the United manager. It was a massive statement. It was one to win over the floating voters, one to convince any fans who were starting to wonder whether Mourinho was still the right man for the job. If United had lost that game 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 or worse, then you would have had to stand back and think, where does Mourinho go from here? It would have been his biggest humiliation. Instead, he showed that City are not invincible. They fought back and now need to secure second spot so they can go into next season believing they can challenge for the title. By half-time on Saturday, that looked a long way off. There had been olés from the City supporters and believe me, that is a horrible and humiliating situation in any match, let alone against your main rivals. The United players will have been embarrassed by that at the Etihad Stadium. Whatever Mourinho said at the break worked wonders. I don’t think he changed much tactically but mentally, they looked a different team. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a lot of work to be done. Mourinho’s wars with his own players have to stop. His public criticism of Pogba over the past few months has not helped the £89m midfielder. Now, Mourinho and Pogba need to find a way of working in harmony because they need each other. I do not subscribe to the theory that the Frenchman is a flop. On his day, he can be one of the best in the country and he now just needs confidence. Pogba and his team-mates can use this win over City to kick on under Mourinho.