Wagner’s band call the tune to shock Mourinho

THE occasion was so momentous for Huddersfield and the club are so hospitable that they had arranged a brass band to play Manchester United in when they arrived at the John Smith’s Stadium. Then, with the pleasantries completed, they then proceeded to drum them out of town.

David Wagner’s team are like that: they inflict defeat with bundles of charm and the sweetest of smiles. And on a stormy, afternoon when the weather and location seemed to epitomise English football, Jose Mourinho could only stand and scowl, soaked to the skin by the end and embarrassed by his players.

Not so Wagner, of course. ‘This is very proud moment,’ he said afterwards. ‘I live in Huddersfield, so I know how huge this is for this town, the supporters, the chairman, the board. I’m totally aware that this is a very special moment.’

Nothing says you have recovered your former glory more than a visit from Manchester United in the Premier League; nothing except running them ragged and beating them.

You have to go back to March 1952 for the last time a Huddersfield team beat United. So this really was a small slice of local modern history for a club that has fought back from extinction.

For Mourinho, his team looked as though they had been ambushed by marauding hordes, with Aaron Mooy the leader and Danny Williams, Tom Ince, Jonathan Hogg as able co-conspirators and Christopher Schindler and Mathias Zanka providing defensive cover.

Anthony Martial lost his head, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera wilted and Victor Lindelof was a nervous implosion. No-one played well and Mourinho was distinctly unimpressed.

‘I heard Ander Herrera saying that the attitude and desire was really poor. Oh my God! When a player says that and a player feels that, I think they should all go to the press conference and explain why, because I can’t explain it.

‘If I was a Man United supporter, traditional supporter, I would feel really disappointed. You can play and lose because the opponent had more quality. But you cannot lose matches because the opponent had a better attitude than you.

‘They (Huddersfield) played like I like. They played with everything. Like it has to be. With everything: aggression, desire, motivation, sacrifice. And we didn’t. So the team which deserved to win, won.’

There was little quality of which to speak in the first 23 minutes. However, the turning point of the game then came when Phil Jones limped out of a tackle and slumped to the floor. When he punched the ground in frustration, it suggested something serious.

He was replaced by Lindelof and from thereon in, United lost their way.

The first goal they conceded after 28

minutes was a collection of errors. Ashley Young’s ball for Juan Mata was not precise but the Spaniard’s control was even worse. Mooy pounced and ran, and Lindelof’s failure to engage him seemed inexplicable. Mooy fed Ince, who cut inside to see his shot saved by David de Gea. But the rebound fell nicely for Mooy, who calmly steered it home.

And as Huddersfield fed off the euphoria and energy, United seemed cowed. The second goal on 33 minutes was Sunday League stuff. Goalkeeper Jonas Lossl launched a long kick and Lindelof came and somehow ducked the header, allowing the ball to bounce into the path of Laurent Depoitre.

He touched it past De Gea and passed it into an empty net. Huddersfield were incredulous, Wagner exultant.

Mata and Martial were withdrawn at half-time for Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. On 78 minutes, Romelu Lukaku ran down the right, crossed and Rashford headed home.

You sensed a late flurry, but it never came. Huddersfield had their moment.