Snoddy answers the call
the result was bad, so it wasn’t a sad week.” Mourinho is not one to milk acclaim from a run-of-the-mill victory against big-six cannon fodder.
Not like those other fist-pumping, photographer-pleasing types (mentioning no names, of course, if any Germans or Catalans happen to be wondering).
Yet over he went to the travelling fans, touching hands and distributing bizarre gifts to the many disciples he has left.
It would have been easy to watch this odd scene through a jaundiced lens yet it was a reminder Mourinho can have a vibrant, upbeat relationship with United supporters.
It was a nice moment, however cynical all those years of Jose-watching has made you. He even handed over his jacket.
Now if he can hand over his team’s straitjacket to go with it – as he did for lengthy spells of yesterday’s straightforward success – that relationship with the broader fan base will thrive.
And United will become as watchable as most in the Premier League.
Forget the handshaking with the hoi polloi, that is gesture stuff. Mourinho needs to find a way of putting the devil into this United team.
And there were signs here – albeit against a tired Burnley – he can do it. Any alarm raised by starting Marouane Fellaini was soon eased with the Belgian providing the midfield platform for an acceptable performance. Having said that, few can be as fond of a flat track as Lukaku and the Clarets have been heavy-rollered. If Mourinho could have selected a way in which to follow the collapse against Spurs it would surely have been a meeting with a club jaded by a Europa League exit within the previous 54 hours. Clarets boss Sean Dyche said: “It’s game 10 for us of a squad of roughly 17 at any given time. “We were down to 16 on Thursday and that’s a lot of football for anyone in this early part of the season.” That, after a first half in which Lukaku headed in a delightful Sanchez cross and gave thanks to a deflected gift by drilling in a second, United did not feast on easy prey in the way a Man City or Liverpool might could be the only sliver of criticism. But they may have done just that had Paul Pogba not missed a penalty with the best part of half an hour remaining. The spot-kick had been drawn from Aaron Lennon by Rashford, his first and last meaningful contribution before being sent off for reacting to a sly Bardsley kick.
Rashford was silly on two fronts. Has he not seen the video of Bardsley landing a beauty of a left-hander on Wayne Rooney three-and-a-half years ago?
And why give Moss the chance to issue a red card and put you out for three matches when you are struggling to get game time in the first place?
Rashford did not butt Bardsley but it seems as though initiating a spot of rutting is enough for red nowadays.
Mourinho’s demeanour was almost as thunderous as it was when Pogba made a pig’s ear of his penalty but not quite.
As ridiculous as it was at least Rashford showed a bit of devil and stood up for himself even though it was unprofessional.
Unlike United’s performance as a whole which was professional and at times attractive. Probably not thrilling enough to merit casting clothes into the congregation but after a troubled two weeks just what Jose needed. BY ALAN MARSHALL SCOTLAND boss Alex McLeish has called up West Ham’s Robert Snodgrass to replace Matt Phillips after the West Brom winger was injured in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Stoke.
Snodgrass has joined the squad for Friday’s friendly against World Cup semifinalists Belgium at Hampden before taking on Albania in their UEFA Nations League opener three days later.
Celtic defender Jack Hendry and Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney had already pulled out with Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack brought into McLeish’s injury-hit squad.
Meanwhile, Albania boss Christian Panucci has warned the Scots he’s ready to hand out more Hampden heartache.
Panucci has previous for breaking Scottish hearts when his last-gasp winner at Hampden for Italy in 2007 sealed a 2-1 win and ended McLeish’s side’s Euro 2008 qualifying dream.
And he said: “We’ve been able to name a squad who are full of experience and the aim is to win this group.
“We have won in Turkey and given Spain and Italy good tests. Scotland are a physical side. We know we are in for a battle at Hampden Park but we are ready for it.”