Mourinho’s crisis deepens after West Ham defeat
STURRIDGE ENSURES LIVERPOOL REMAIN UNBEATEN AFTER SEVEN GAMES
Jose Mourinho defended his decision to play Anthony Martial instead Alexis Sanchez after a 3-1 loss away to West Ham yesterday condemned Manchester United to a third defeat in seven Premier League games — their worst start to a domestic campaign in nearly 30 years.
United have 10 points from seven league games, the last time they started worse was in 1989-90, in the old First Division, though they also collected just 10 points in the first seven games of David Moyes’ ill-fated reign. This latest reverse added to the pressure on under-fire manager Mourinho.
Playing later, Daniel Sturridge scored after three minutes on the pitch to prevent Liverpool falling to its first loss of the English Premier League, recovering a 1-1 draw at Chelsea.
The substitute striker sent a shot from outside of the penalty area swerving into the top right of the net in the 89th minute to cancel out Eden Hazard’s second goal against Liverpool inside 70 hours.
Hazard’s strike on Wednesday sent Liverpool out of the League Cup, and the latest ensured Liverpool’s 100 per cent start was halted, even if Chelsea couldn’t collect three points.
Hazard’s seventh goal in eight games in the league and cup came after 25 minutes in a move he started inside his own half. After flicking the ball to Mateo Kovacic, the ball was held up by the midfielder as Hazard ran through unchecked to receive it back before striking low past goalkeeper Alisson.
But Sturridge ensured Liverpool, like Chelsea and champion Manchester City, remain unbeaten after seven games.
‘We are not aggressive’
“For many months people are asking for Martial,” Mourinho told BT Sport about his choice of attackers. “This week it was time to agree and to say let’s give a chance to Martial and let’s leave Alexis out.”
United, who kicked off eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, were behind as early as the fifth minute at the London Stadium, when Anderson opened the scoring for West Ham. And they were 2-0 down before half-time when Andriy ■ Yarmalenko’s shot from inside the box deflected off Victor Lindelof for an own goal.
Barely 60 seconds after midfielder Paul Pogba — whose stand-off with Mourinho during a training session earlier last week featured heavily on social media — was substituted, United cut the deficit through Marcus Rashford’s 71st-minute goal.
But hopes this might spark a major recovery by the visitors were soon dashed when Marko Arnautovic — who played under Mourinho at Inter Milan — restored the Hammers’ twogoal lead three minutes later.
Mourinho said West Ham’s first goal had been offside but admitted United had not been “aggressive” enough in defence in the lead-up to the Hammers’ second before adding the referee was at fault prior to Arnautovic’s strike for not penalising a foul on Rashford.
“We are not aggressive and intense enough to close that shot,” Mourinho said when asked about the Lindelof own goal. An offside goal and an ■ own goal.” The Portuguese boss added: “The third goal killed our mentality because the referee did not see the foul before.”
Nevertheless, Mourinho insisted: “I have no complaints with the players’ attitude. You have always to try, that’s my nature as a football professional.”