Sanchez praised, United fans slammed

– Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho praised Alexis Sanchez (left) after the former Arsenal man scored his first goal for his new club in a 2-0 win against Huddersfield Town at a “quiet” Old Trafford on Saturday.

Entertainment was in short supply at Old Trafford despite the victory but Mourinho chided the home fans for not supporting his players loudly enough.

However, one genuine positive for United was the performance of Chile international Sanchez, who shone brightest on an afternoon on which Huddersfield were not shy in targeting the Chilean.

Yet despite watching his new signing get repeatedly clattered all afternoon, Mourinho said the goalscorer could handle it as United reduced the gap to Manchester City at the top of the Premier League to 13 points.

Apart from Sanchez’s brilliance, the other talking point at Old Trafford was Mourinho’s decision to drop Paul Pogba following United’s damaging defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.

Mourinho said there had been no falling out with Pogba but he has risked annoying United’s fans after again criticising the volume levels inside Old Trafford.

“It’s not Portsmouth,” he said. “I remember Portsmouth in the Premier League. It was such a small stadium but the atmosphere there was incredible.”

Ahead of kick-off, there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, which falls tomorrow. – AFP