JOSE’S HAPPY TO WIN UGLY
Red-card Mourinho gets a slice of Luk
SIX defenders on the pitch. Time-wasting and last-ditch challenges. Jose Mourinho chuntering away to his No.2 Rui Faria and eventually sent to the stands, that old rueful look on his face.
But at the end of it all it was three more points for Manchester United and another hurdle cleared.
This wasn’t United at their fluent best, but it was ruthless. Brave, too. Wave after wave of Southampton pressure crashed against the Red Devils’ defence in the second half, but they stood firm.
It was also vintage Mourinho. Four-goal thrashings are all well and good, but you can’t beat a gritty, backs-against-the-wall away win every now and then to blow the cobwebs away.
United, who remain second behind neighbours City on goal difference, will surely be better for this victory in the long run.
“It’s better to win 5-0 than 1-0, but it’s not always possible,” said Mourinho. “Today it wasn’t. We had opportunities in the first half to score the second goal and then the game is different.
“We did for 20 minutes what the majority of the Premier League teams are doing, which is to play defensively with five at the back. We had chances to kill the game but didn’t. Then I felt Southampton were strong. Their manager was enthusiastic, excited, risking bringing two strikers to play direct, and also in a style that they don’t play normally.
“So I made the decision to bring on Chris Smalling and the team were solid. Good solidarity, organisation and spirit – and amazing points.”
Mourinho named the same XI that dispatched Everton with ease last Sunday, only Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford remaining from the Carabao Cup stroll against Burton.
The latter was heavily involved early on, darting infield to give Henrikh Mkhitaryan a sight of goal and just failing to intercept Fraser Forster’s unusually ropey clearance.
Saints struggled, with Shane Long isolated up front against Phil Jones and Eric Bailly.
It was an invitation for United to push on and they seized it 19 minutes in, Romelu Lukaku netting his sixth goal in six league games. Ashley Young stood up his man and produced a sugar-coated cross. Forster reacted quickly enough to keep out Lukaku’s header but could do nothing about the follow-up.
The lead established, United settled into familiar ‘show-uswhat-you’ve-got’ mode.
Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino must have brought his hairdryer with him from Spain because his side tore into United with abandon after the break. Oriol Romeu and Nathan
Redmond went close and Saints demanded a penalty when Jones tangled with Long, but ref Craig Pawson waved play on.
“We put United under pressure and they realised we were playing well,” said Pellegrino. “But you have to be really close to excellent to win these games.”
United created a couple more chances, Lukaku firing at Forster’s legs and substitute Ander Herrera blazing over from 15 yards.
But as Mourinho threw on more bodies to defend, it became clear 1-0 would have to be enough.
In the end, despite touchline confusion involving the Portuguese and the fourth official, ending with Pawson sending the United boss to the stands, it was.