Fergie Time keeps ’em ticking
THEY’VE thrown millions at the squad and brought in three bosses since Sir Alex Ferguson quit five years ago.
But it’s the spirit of the legendary Scot keeping Manchester United near the top four this season.
Three times in their past four Premier League games Jose Mourinho’s men have given their opponents a head start.
On all three occasions they have fought back to get something out of the game. Two wins and a draw to be precise.
Let’s not kid ourselves, Bournemouth should have buried them in the first quarter of the tie, with keeper David De Gea yet again overworked when he has so much quality around him.
You have to give United credit, though, for their never-say-die attitude which has led to goals in Fergie Time.
Chris Smalling, one of several players still in the side to have won the title under Sir Alex, agrees. “We’re showing that attitude – never giving in and you can see that coming out,” he said.
“No matter how bad that first half was, that second half we all believed we can go and win. It’s a great feeling and it’s bringing us closer together.
“As games are getting tougher and tougher they are closer than ever. So it’s often coming down to fine margins – who can give that added burst in the last five minutes?
“We’re going to win a lot of points that way and a lot of other teams are going to gain or lose points that way.”
It is no exaggeration to say that United should have lost this game in the first 20 minutes.
The travelling fans’ chant of, “You’ve only come to see United” appeared to be missing two words at that point – “get hammered”.
Three times by then Bournemouth should have scored. Three times they were denied by a combination of De Gea, indecision and a deflection sending a shot from Junior Stanislas wide.
Callum Wilson finally put United to the sword in the 11th minute, only for Bournemouth to power down and allow the visitors back into it.
In-form Anthony Martial gave them the belief they needed 10 minutes before the break. Marcus Rashford kept his composure magnificently to win it, deep into second-half stoppage-time.
Mourinho admitted to Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe at the end that the Cherries should have been out of sight by half-time. Smalling went a touch further.
“The first half I think was probably our worst of the season,” he said. “Personally I thought we were all miles off it.
“I think in the second half we could have had four or five goals.
“We just need that consistency for the whole game, but we knew how big that three points was today.
“We have to stick together. This is a club that is talked about more than any other club and I think we as players need to stick together and ride out the