Pogba’s role in second half is clarified by Mourinho
JOSE Mourinho insists Paul Pogba did not play as a centreback in the second half of United’s 3-2 comeback against Newcastle.
The Reds trailed 2-0 at halftime and the Reds boss withdrew Scott McTominay – who had dropped back into defence after Eric Bailly was replaced by Juan Mata on 19 minutes – for Marouane Fellaini.
Pogba and Nemanja Matic moved back into deeper roles, while Fellaini played further forward in a half that saw United scored three times.
Pogba had started in a midfield three with Matic and McTominay, but assisted Anthony Martial’s equaliser and played a key role in Alexis Sanchez’s winner.
“He didn’t play centre-back,” Mourinho clarified.
“He was playing with Matic in front of [Chris] Smalling because we need some technical quality to bring the ball from the back and the way to have some technical quality to bring the ball from the back was to play Paul and Matic there.”
United supporters repeatedly chanted Mourinho’s name throughout the match.
“I’m amazed by that,” said the Reds boss. “I don’t want that, if I could tell them please don’t do it I would say that, I think this is not about me, it is about the football club, the club they love, and about the club we represent with all the honour and dignity.
“But I’m amazed by that. At half-time we were losing 2-0 and the fans were magnificent to the team and that’s fantastic.
“I used to say in my football memories that one day I beat Liverpool in Anfield 4-1 and I was amazed with the stadium singing Liverpool songs, I was amazed and full of respect by that. I’m in a situation [where] I’m losing 2-0 at home in a match that was very important for us to win and the fans were absolutely amazing.”
Meanwhile, Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola insists his client is not for sale, saying: “It’s a very delicate moment and we all know that, but Manchester United have been very clear: Pogba is not on the market.” JOSE Mourinho has revealed he received a text message from the United board telling him not to read reports he was due to be sacked.
A story on Friday night claimed the Reds boss would be dismissed, irrespective of the result against Newcastle, who took a 2-0 half-time lead at Old Trafford on Saturday night.
United rallied spiritedly in the second half and Alexis Sanchez stooped to secure an enthralling 3-2 comeback victory.
The Reds were forced to dismiss a report last week which alleged they JOSE Mourinho believes Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay were ‘sad and scared’ during United’s dramatic victory over Newcastle.
Both academy graduates started the game, but were substituted while the Reds were 2-0 down.
McTominay was substituted at half-time, while Rashford exited the pitch with 10 minutes left after had contacted Zinedine Zidane over the manager’s role, and described the latest sacking story as ‘nonsense.’
And Mourinho has revealed he received a message, presumably from executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, telling him to avoid the papers on Saturday.
“The ones that read the papers, that are connected with social media, they thought maybe I had gone,” Mourinho said.
“If I hadn’t had an SMS from my board not to read [the papers], I would have been convinced too.”
And Mourinho believes he has been at the centre of a manhunt in missing two chances. Juan Mata and Anthony Martial scored within six second-half minutes to draw the score level, before an injury-time header from Alexis Sanchez secured a dramatic turnaround.
Despite the impressive nature of his side’s comeback, Mourinho singled out McTominay and Rashford for their underwhelming displays.
“Marcus Rashford was sad on the pitch, Scott McTominay was scared recent weeks as the pressure has built up over his future.
“I am 55-years-old and, in spite, of the first time I see in football a manhunt, I am mature, I can cope with it and live with it,” he said.
“I think some of the boys, they are not the man that is hunted, I think they are not coping well with it and the way they started (against Newcastle) they were panicking.
“Every ball in our box I thought even we could not score and it is not easy for them.
“For me, it is not easy too, but I think life is made of experiences and some are new and some are deja vu.
“This is new, but makes me a better manager and a better person.
“I understand things in the human nature and in the industry. I used to love it, and I still love it, but it’s different.
“A lot of wickedness, too much wickedness in something that should be beautiful. I cope with it with some sadness obviously and I survive, I am mature.” on the pitch. Even older players commit mistakes that are not normal,” said the Reds boss.
Mourinho also revealed some of the players weren’t coping well with the ‘manhunt’ and ‘wickedness’ being aimed at him.
But United legends Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand have both criticised Mourinho for his outburst.
Ferdinand said: “I don’t know where this wickedness comes from. I Mourinho said he and the United players ‘opened their hearts’ during a frank half-time team talk on Saturday. “In half-time, we opened our hearts,” Mourinho said. “And we spoke about tactical changes for two minutes and we spoke for eight minutes about other things that I thought, ‘let the players a little bit more free to face the second-half’ and then 3-2. Amazing. “But if it was 2-2 the feeling would be the same. Always when the team is living difficult moments it is not easy for anyone and to score the winning goal and to come to the game with the result and to be important in the changing I think is a great feeling for the boy. “The result is fantastic and it was something we needed. Even without the victory I would leave the stadium with pride because of what the boys did or tried to do. “I have said for many years, you can lose matches but cannot lose your dignity or pride and that it’s not about the manager or the Jose Mourinho don’t know what he’s talking about. He’s Manchester United manager. The Manchester United manager doesn’t go unnoticed win, lose, or draw.
“When you sign up to manage Man United you do not expect to come in and have it your own way. Especially if things are going wrong, you’re going to be under intense scrutiny.
“For Jose Mourinho to say he has seen that hunger, desire and