Terriers terrorise Jose’s big defensive buy

held out for a momentous win. The last time they beat United was in 1952 when the Queen ascended to the throne.

And in front of the King – former Old Trafford and Huddersfield icon Denis Law – Wagner’s stars turned back the clock to stun United’s 2,200 travelling supporters.

The inquest on an embarrassing day for United will overshadow the lung-busting effort of Huddersfield’s battling heroes – but it shouldn’t.

Sure, Wagner had the advantage of a free week to tune his stars while United closed in on the Champions League knock-out stage in Lisbon.

But there was no excuse for such a dismal performance from a team who have suddenly lost their way after the lame draw at Liverpool.

This seemed one of those days when if it could go wrong for them it did. From the chirpy brass band that greeted United’s arrival to the pumped up home crowd and squally conditions this had all the ingredients of a banana skin day for Mourinho – and so it proved. The United boss (below) expected his men to show why they are chasing Manchester City at the top of the table but instead they pressed the self-destruct button.

First, Anthony Martial lost his rag after an early challenge by Tommy Smith which earned both men a booking. But the Frenchman continued to flirt with danger as his temper simmered.

Although Wagner’s men were in United’s faces there seemed no imminent danger.

But it started to go badly wrong when Phil Jones suddenly pulled up, slumped to the ground and beat the turf in despair to give Mourinho more injury woes.

Losing Jones was bad enough, but his replacement Lindelof was a disaster playing a pivotal role in both Huddersfield’s firsthalf goals. First, he was too slow to react as Juan Mata’s normally reliable touch let him down when Huddersfield sprang a high press. Aussie warrior Aaron Mooy was on the mistake in a flash, nudging the ball to Tom Ince who ran at backpedalling Lindelof, a rabbit caught in the headlights. David De Gea saved Ince’s shot with his chest but it fell for Mooy who fired home. Five minutes later Lindelof surpassed his own incompetence, amateurishly missing an attempted guided header back to De Gea after a route-one kick by keeper Jonas Lossl. Laurent Depoitre seized the ball, rounded De Gea and steered home to leave Town fans in dreamland.

Nemanja Matic was just wide with the last kick of the first half and the break saw Mata and Martial hooked.

Rashford added more menace and the teenager headed home Lukaku’s 77th-minute cross, but Huddersfield held on.

They defended with steel and belief with Mathias Zanka and Smith immense while Mooy and Danny Williams grafted tirelessly in front. No wonder Wagner was ecstatic.

“This was one of the top three moments I’ve had at this club – it’s a very proud moment and we all know how huge this win is,” he said. “I believed in a result but couldn’t expect it.”