MARCUS STUNS JOSE
United star ruins return of Mourinho
AS CHANTS of “Ole” echoed around OldTrafford, Jose Mourinho might have concluded the welcome back had been just a touch too warm.
Handshakes and smiles on his return, 50 weeks after he was sacked by Manchester United, were nice. But the sight of players who let him down inflicting the first defeat of his Spurs reign will have been hard for the Portuguese to take.
Two goals from Marcus Rashford, the second a penalty, sandwiching a dazzling equaliser from Dele Alli ensured United took the points.
More importantly it shored up the immediate future for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has bought more time for his slowburning revolution ahead of Saturday’s derby with City.
Solskjaer had given his pack a shuffle after the disappointing draw here against Villa, jettisoning the ineffectual Anthony Martial, Andreas Pereira, Brandon Williams and Juan Mata.
While Jesse Lingard and Mason Greenwood were an improvement up front, it was the return of Scott McTominay after three games out with an ankle injury which gave United fans most hope.
Fred has shown signs of getting to grips with his role in the middle but, alongside Pereira, the pair look lightweight. United look a much better unit with the rangy Scot in it.
For all the talk of improved results under Mourinho, Spurs remain capable of a howler and they gifted Solskjaer’s men a dream start after just six minutes.
There seemed little obvious threat when Davinson Sanchez sprinted back to gather a loose pass on Spurs’ right side. But the waspish Lingard rushed him and the defender’s attempt to gather the ball rather than clear it ended up with him backheeling it into Rashford’s path.
The United striker unleashed a vicious shot which crept in via a weak Paulo Gazzaniga palm inside the near post.
The Spurs goalkeeper redeemed himself brilliantly in the 25th minute, tipping a fierce tracer bullet from Rashford from fully 25 yards on to a rattling crossbar. In
between a block to keep out a close-range Greenwood effort was almost as good.
United were enjoying far too much possession for a glowering Mourinho’s liking – and his mood was not improved when he was the collateral damage in a collision with Harry Winks and Daniel James.
His smile returned in the 39th minute when Dele Alli produced a sublime piece of skill to pull Spurs level.
Serge Aurier had brought a great blocking save from David De Gea from the right angle but the ball rebounded up off his legs towards Dele, who was attended to by Fred and Ashley Young.
With his back to goal, a first touch lifted the ball back over his head towards the net, leaving Fred and Young groping fresh air. Turning smartly his second touch clipped a half-volley past the United keeper.
The hosts left the field at half-time wondering quite how they were level, with Gazzaniga inspired after his early blunder.
But four minutes into the second half, they were gifted a second present of the night courtesy of the penalty spot. It was Rashford again who created the chance, charging into the penalty area towards the byline before being tripped by Moussa Sissoko after he looked to have overrun it.
It was a soft decision but Sissoko did not need to make the challenge and after a lengthy delay for VAR and some penalty box etiquette instructions on encroachment, Rashford despatched the kick.
Spurs had chances to level. Son Heung-min was denied by a Fred block but United stood firm and, with the chants building, ran out of time.