Mourinho’s penalty winning masterclass

IN the Spurs v Manchester United match a weekend ago, there was an intriguing incident. Even If you didn’t watched the match or it’s highlights you may guess the one am referring to, for the newspapers were full of it.

United’s Scot McTominay and Spurs Korean star, Son Heung-Min, were racing after the ball in midfield. Son reached out his arm, looking as if he was attempting to catch the front of McTominay’s shirt.

McTominay was slightly in front and swung his arm out as though trying to push Son’s Arm away but caught Son in the face. I suppose the best way to describe it was a slap.

Certainly it was not a clenched fist which is how some Premier League referees judge intent. However Son went down writhing on the ground, holding his face as if he had been punched.

Play went on and led to what United players celebrated as the opening goal of the match. VAR drew the attention of referee, Chris Kavanagh, to the incident. After viewing the monitor, disallowed the goal and gave a free kick to Tottenham.

Why was this intriguing?

The Spurs manager, Jose Mourinho, was of course, the previous manager of United. United’s Marcus Rashford revealed that Mourinho, shortly before his short stay ended, had given them a masterclass in winning penalties. ‘If you are not savvy about the way you do it, you are not going to get it given’. Their number of penalties doubled, but it was the new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who benefitted.

Shortly before the Son incident, Rashford himself was flattened by a slightly more robust tackle and laid on the ground holding his face for some considerable time.

No goal was scored so VAR was not called upon but the question is, has Mourinho given Spurs players the same masterclass as he gave the United players, and did it include falling down and holding your face?

It makes you wonder, how many other managers train or at least encourage their players to fall down at the slightest provocation and fake a serious injury?