Manager Jose Mourinho says Manchester United are lucky to win 2-1 at Bournemouth considering they played a disastrous first half
Marcus Rashford (second from left) celebrates scoring against Bournemouth on Saturday. Pics/AFP
Jose Mourinho admitted he was the "luckiest manager in the Premier League" as Manchester United recovered from a disastrous defensive display to beat Bournemouth 2-1 on Saturday. Mourinho was furious with United's sloppy first half at Dean Court as Callum Wilson fired Bournemouth ahead.
United could have been even further behind before the break as Bournemouth wasted a host of chances to increase their lead. But Anthony Martial equalised and Mourinho steered United back on course with a stern half-time team talk and the 56th minute introduction of Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera. The changes allowed United a measure of control in the second half and Rashford snatched the winner deep into stoppage-time.
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"It was the whole first half. I said at half-time I was the luckiest manager in the Premier League in a half when the score should be like 6-2," Mourinho said. "We were defensively awful. As a team, we didn't press or do any of the work we did in the week. People watching this game will not believe how hard we worked this week. The first half was a disaster. The second half was much better. We created lots of chances and deserved to score before the 92nd minute." United have now won three of their last four Premier League games to get back on track after a dismal run piled pressure on Mourinho.
However, Mourinho is still concerned by the lethargic manner in which his players are starting games. "I can't understand why we started slow. My coaches said it was the best warm-up of the season," Mourinho said.
"Mistakes create instability. I love the song, 'attack, attack, attack' but you need to have stability when you lose the ball. "It happened again against a good team but we were prepared for everything. "I really can't understand the kind of mentality that brings me more white hair!"
Bernardo Silva to step in for De Bruyne
Manchester: Kevin De Bruyne's wretched luck with injury has given Bernardo Silva the chance to continue his superb start to the season in Sunday's Premier League visit of Southampton to the Etihad.
Playmaker De Bruyne injured ligaments in his left knee during Thursday's League Cup win against Fulham - just his second start of the season - sidelining him for five to six weeks. And that has all but assured Bernardo Silva's spot in the City first team. The Portuguese's form will soften the blow of having to do without De Bruyne in next week's Manchester derby for coach Pep Guardiola , who said that he will not rush the Belgian back into action when he does recover.
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