MAN UNITED 3, NEWCASTLE UTD 2
Under-pressure Jose Mourinho was at his best as his Manchester United side pulled back from the brink against bottom-three side Newcastle United.
With 20 minutes left at Old Trafford, Mourinho’s job appeared to be even more under threat with his side 2-0 behind.
But in an amazing turnabout, late goals from Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez completed a remarkable comeback which may prove pivotal to his future and the Reds’ campaign.
You only had to see Mourinho marauding along the touchline in the latter stages to see what victory meant. It was reminiscent to the early days of his career.
United, without a won in four games, were a team devoid of confidence and self-belief in the opening period when Mourinho’s future looked bleak.
Yet in the second period they played like world beaters, a complete contrast to the opening 45 minutes.
In a post-match television interview Mourinho used the word “manhunt” six times and, when pressed later, he explained he believed it would never end.
And in a cryptic message, Mourinho said: “As a friend of mine was saying this morning, if it rains in London tomorrow then it’s my fault.
“If there are difficulties in the agreement for Brexit, it is my fault.
“There is a lot of wickedness. The man hunting has to stop.”
Mourinho added he is aged 55 and can handle the pressure, but some of his players are struggling.
“In the first half Rashford was sad and McTominay scared very time he got the ball,” he explained.
Mourinho added there is too much talk about professionalism and about the honesty of the players.
United’s manager added he was amazed by the fans signing his name and also the way they got behind the team when they were 2-0 down at half time.
He likened that to when he was Chelsea manager after they beat Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield and he was amazed to hear the home fans still singing songs.
United made three changes from the side that kicked off their Champions League game against Valencia.
Antonio Valencia, Marouane Fellaini and Sanchez lost their places following the hugely disappointing goalless draw.
Into the side came Ashley Young, Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial.
The opening minutes saw Newcastle fans taunting Mourinho about being sacked in the morning while feting their own manager Rafa Benitez and deriding unpopular owner Mike Ashley who was at the game.
United’s troubles intensified when Newcastle snatched a seventh-minute lead after a superb counter attack.
Ayoze Perez’s through ball released Kennedy who turned Eric Bailly before firing low past David De Gea.
And it got much worse when Newcastle doubled their lead inside 10 minutes.
Jonjo Shelvey’s raking cross from the right found Yoshinori Muto who turned Bailly before shooting low past De Gea to leave United fans in a sense of disbelief. It was the Japanese international’s first start and goal for the club.
It was the first time United had ever conceded two goals inside 10 minutes in a home Premier League game at Old Trafford.
It was also the third time in eight league games United had conceded two goals in three minutes as that also happened against Brighton and Tottenham.
And Newcastle would have added a third goal but for a super save from De Gea to keep out a 25-yard drive from Shelvey.
The shambolic start brought about a first change in the 19th minute as Mourinho brought off the hapless Bailly and replaced him with Juan Mata as McTominay switched from midfield to centre back.
United ought to have halved the deficit but Marcus Rashford headed wide from six yards from a Romelu Lukaku cross.
De Gea pulled off another excellent stop to keep out a close-range header from Muto as Newcastle belied a side without a league win in their first seven games.
United created a rare goal attempt when Paul Pogba played a return pass with Lukaku before forcing a diving save from Martin Dubravka.
And they were denied a penalty in stoppage time when Muto appeared to handle from a Reds’ corner.
There was a second change at the restart as McTominay was replaced by Fellaini and a third different formation in the game.
It was an unusual 3-4-3 with midfielders Pogba and Nemanja Matic and Chris Smalling forming a bizarre centre-back partnership.
United left the field to boos and jeers but, in fairness, fans got behind them from the restart and it lifted a side that had been devoid of confidence and belief.
United came close to a goal soon after play began when Pogba’s deflected shot brought about a super stop from Dubravka with Matic lazing over the rebound which he ought to have netted.
Mata fired narrowly wide and Rashford headed just over as United were different team to the opening period.
Newcastle remained a threat on the break and on one such occasion Kenedy fired over when he ought to have cross to better-placed team-mates in what had been a 4 v 3 break.
Mourinho’s final throw of the dice midway through the second period was Sanchez for Rashford.
United halved the deficit with 20 minutes left after Mohammed Diame committed a foul on the edge of the box for which he was booked.
And there was further punishment as Mata curled an exquisite free kick over the defensive wall and beyond Dubravka’s despairing dive.
Suddenly it was all United as Fellaini and Smalling were both denied by Dubravka who was beaten again in the 76th minute.
Martial played the ball to Pogba and ran on to his back heel before smashing a low shot past the keeper.
The comeback was completed in the 90th minute when Sanchez scored only his fourth goal since his January move from Arsenal.
Young fired over a pinpoint cross from the right and Sanchez rose to head home from seven yards.