Going into the game amid claims from the English press he would get sacked no matter the result against Newcastle, José Mourinho had a point to prove on Saturday afternoon, and that he did… eventually.
Down 2-0 at half-time, having already hooked Bailly in the 20th minute, the Portuguese manager threw everything he had at Rafa Benitez’s team in the second half as the Red Devils ended the game with just one centre-back on the pitch.
Thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s 90th minute header, Manchester United walked away with all three points, which Romelu Lukaku, who has now gone six games without a goal, is very grateful for.
Speaking to RMC Sport after the game, he said, smiling: “Yeah, I think if we hadn’t won today, it would have been a ‘complete fiasco’, but the coach has our trust and we, the players, are professionals. You can’t always point the finger at the coach. We’re the ones who have to put the work in on the pitch.”
The Belgian striker was already looking beyond the current international break, with two ‘big games’ against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Juventus in the Champions League at Old Trafford.
He continued: “If we get two good results in those matches, I think we can start looking towards the future”.
Normally very capable of finding the back of the net, Lukaku will hope the next two games with Belgium will allow him to put his scoring boots back on, ready to have a big impact in the two upcoming fixtures for his club.
On the other hand, Manchester United fans might also be hoping Roberto Martinez gives him a rest in the friendly against the Netherlands, since Mourinho seems very reluctant to drop his main striker.
