What’s all the panic about?
Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring Manchester United’s dramatic winner against Newcastle United.
If this is the end for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, then he will not go out on a more dramatic note.
Trailing 2-0 at half time after one of the worst 45 minutes anyone could remember from the team, United somehow turned it round with one of those special comebacks in front of the Stretford End.
From misplaced passes and a defensive shambles, the second half saw verve and passion with Mourinho directing operations and heavily involved from the sidelines.
And just when the Portuguese needed him, the man to complete the turnaround was Alexis Sanchez.
Maligned for most of his time at Old Trafford, the Chilean substitute bulleted in a header from Ashley Young’s cross to win the game in the 90th minute.
It was an extraordinary end to a most extraordinary day at Manchester United.
Mourinho had woken to reports that his dismissal as manager was imminent, something which was flatly refuted by the club.
However, it was a fair reflection of the current state of play at one of the biggest clubs in the world after their worst league start for 29 years and Mourinho picking fights with anyone and everyone.
Goings-on at United have dominated the landscape, but things have not been much better at Newcastle.
They have not won a game all season and Huddersfield’s earlier draw at Burnley had pushed them further into the relegation zone before kick-off. Owner Mike Ashley remains as unpopular as ever, and he took Benitez and the entire squad out for dinner on Wednesday in a bid to improve morale.
Ashley was even spotted in the directors’ box as he hoped to witness an upturn in his club’s fortunes.
But it would not have been hard for him to make out the chants emanating from the travelling supporters about what they would like him to do.
The Magpies may have been winless, but they sensed that their hosts were
vulnerable and went on the front foot, showing none of the negativity on display against the other top clubs.
That positive approach was rewarded as they stormed into a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes.
First, Ayoze Perez carved a huge hole between United’s two central defenders with a lovely through ball for Kenedy.
The Brazilian cut inside Young with ease and produced a fine finish into the bottom corner past David De Gea.
Mourinho was stood motionless in his technical area, but that was nothing