SANCHEZ GETS UNITED ROARING
Turmoil forgotten but Jose’s side must get even better to delay City coronation
ON days like this, all seems well in Jose Mourinho’s world.
Manchester United played with a fluency and a spirit that suggests they are closer than some people think to making the ‘ transition’ their manager has spoken about.
United were two up inside 20 minutes and cruising. Alexis Sanchez scored one and teed up another for Romelu Lukaku, who reached a century of Premier League goals. Jesse Lin ga rd excelled and Paul Pogba gave a striking performance befitting a man who returned from international duty with France sporting blue and white hair.
Mourinho described the first-half display as ‘perfect’ although United were helped by a strangely subdued Swansea side, who spent the best part of an hour getting their act together.
Carlos Carvalhal has done great work since taking over in South Wales last December, but Swansea will need to play more like they did over the last half an hour if they are to see the job through and stay in the Premier League.
The Portuguese coach had hailed his compatriot as the ‘king of football’ before the trip to Old Trafford. Unfortunately for Mourinho, the only coronation he is likely to see is next week, when his side visit a Manchester City team one win from being crowned champions.
For now, he can console himself with the fact that United reclaimed second place after Liverpool’s earlier win at Crystal Palace and are likely to hold on to it if they produce more performances like this for the remainder of the season.
The two managers were locked in conversation on the touchline as the final whistle sounded. M our in hot hen appeared for his post- match press conference clutching an Easter egg for Carvalhal who accepted an invitation to sit next to him as he offered his thoughts on the game.
‘The first half was probably one of the best we have played here,’ said Mourinho. ‘They didn’t cross the line and didn’t have one shot.
‘The second half was different. Credit to Carlos because he improved the team at half-time but we let it go a bit. Six or seven players played international football in midweek and I could feel the intensity go down. But in this moment of t he season, seven matches to go, we got the points and are ready to fight.
‘ In other leagues we would be fighting for the title, but there is a club which is making it practically impossible to follow.’
You had to remind yourself that United went into the international break in a state of some turmoil.
Mourinho had criticised his players, with the exception of Nemanja Matic, following the FA Cup win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Sanchez and Pogba, both unused substitutes in that match, had departed for international duty clearly unhappy with how their club careers are progressing.
They were not the only ones who seemed intent on raising their game yesterday.
Less t han f i ve minutes had elapsed when Lukaku became the 28th player — and the first Belgian — to score a century of Premier League goals. The early strike owed everything to United’s ability to move possession quickly, just as Mourinho had demanded to no avail a fortnight ago.
Matic and Lingard worked the ball to Sanchez inside the box and he shifted it quickly to Lukaku. The big striker’s shot would probably have gone in anyway but took a deflection off Alfie Mawson and reared up past Lukasz Fabianski.
‘ It’s a dream come true,’ said Lukaku. ‘ I ’ m really happy to achieve that milestone in a league I’ve wanted to play in since I was six years old.’
United extended their lead in the 20th minute and again it was the speed of movement and passing that caught out Swansea.
Lingard slipped the ball through for Sanchez, who got a shot away before Mike van der Hoorn could reach him, steering it home from 15 yards. It was only his second goal since arriving from Arsenal in January.
Both goalscorers could have had another in the first half. Fabianski turned away Lukaku’s effort after he had been sent through by Lingard’s flick, and Sanchez fluffed a shot from close-range when Ashley Young kept Lukaku’s farpost cross in play. Swansea hadn’t offered the slightest threat, and Carvalhal decided that changes were needed. Tom Carroll and Tammy Abraham were sent on at half- time, and Wayne Routledge followed 10 minutes later for Sam Clucas who damaged a knee ligament.
But it was United who continued to create the chances. Sanchez headed onto the roof of the net and Juan Mata couldn’t keep his volley down when Pogba’s wonderful pass found him unmarked.
Yet it still needed two fantastic saves back-to-back by David de Gea to thwart Abraham and quell a Swansea comeback.
First, Abraham controlled Car- roll’s pass into the box and turned inside Victor Lindelof before forcing De Gea to beat a shot away at his near post. Then he met Martin Olsson’s cross from the left with a low volley that the keeper shovelled around the post.
‘I’m not happy with the result but happy with the second- half performance,’ said Carvalhal. ‘If we can do that at Old Trafford then we must keep that momentum in the seven games that remain and achieve the miracle of staying in the Premier League. If we play like that, we will do it for sure.’
Lukaku had another chance before the end of the game when he controlled Pogba’s pass and forced a fine save from Fabianski from close- range, but the result was never really in doubt.
If only they were all as straightforward as this for Mourinho.
MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7; Valencia 6.5, Smalling 7, Lindelof 6.5, Young 6.5; Matic 7, Pogba 7.5; Mata 6 (McTominay 90min), Lingard 8 (Herrera 75, 6), Sanchez 7 (Rashford 75); Lukaku 7.5. Subs (not used): Bailly, Martial, Shaw, Pereira. SWANSEA (5-4-1): Fabianski 6.5; Naughton 5.5, Van der Hoorn 5.5, Fernandez 6.5, Mawson 6, Olsson 6; Dyer 5 (Abraham 46, 7), Ki 5 (Carroll 46, 6.5), King 6; Clucas 5.5 (Routledge 55, 6); A Ayew 6. Subs (not used): Narsingh, Nordfeldt, Bartley, Roberts. Referee: R Madley (West Yorkshire) 7.