UNITED SCRAP ON THE FIELD ...AND THEN IN THE TUNNEL
Boro 1 Man Utd 3
JOSE MOURINHO saw his stars put up a fight on and off the pitch as United’s victory was marred by a tunnel brawl.
The Old Trafford boss moved a step closer to the top four and got revenge on Boro for sacking his old mate Aitor Karanka. But he insisted he’d rather win the Europa League
than finish fourth this season – as that too would put United into the Champions League.
On a day of frayed tempers, the game ended with a bust-up in the tunnel after a clash between United defender Eric Bailly and Boro sub Rudy Gestede.
Team-mates wrongly thought they had bitten each other during the game and security was called to keep warring players apart.
United defender Phil Jones said: “I think it was frustration creeping in. I was in a relegation struggle at Blackburn so I know how they feel. When emotions are high these things happen but it was something and nothing.”
Gestede insisted the flare-up had not been sparked by biting, saying: “We had a few words together, it was nothing major. He gave me a hug and a kiss, that’s it. I didn’t feel anything.”
Mourinho went straight down the tunnel after United’s 93rd-minute third goal, not hanging around for handshakes with Boro’s newly-installed caretaker boss Steve Agnew.
Asked about his mate Karanka, Mourinho said: “Justice for Karanka is the work he did here. People cannot delete the good things.”
Of the victory he said: “It was a big win to keep us alive in the race for fourth but I prefer to win the Europa League – it gives us a trophy and prestige.”