Jose Mourinho has revealed the half-time team talk that turned things around for Manchester United against Bournemouth.
Substitute Marcus Rashford scored a late winner to earn all three points at the Vitality Stadium but it was the Cherries who dominated the early stages with Callum Wilson giving them a deserved lead.
Anthony Martial levelled matters but they entered at the break firmly second best and manager Mourinho reveals he could scarcely believed what he had seen from his team.
“It was the whole first half,” he said afterwards. “I said at half-time I was the luckiest manager in the Premier League in a half when it should be like 5/6-2.
Bournemouth vs Manchester United player ratings
1/22 Asmir Begovic – 6
2/22 Simon Francis – 6
3/22 Steve Cook – 7
4/22 Nathan Ake – 8
5/22 Adam Smith – 6
6/22 Junior Stanislas – 7
7/22 Lewis Cook – 6
8/22 Jefferson Lerma – 7
9/22 Ryan Fraser – 6
10/22 David Brooks – 7
11/22 Callum Wilson – 7
12/22 David De Gea – 6
13/22 Ashley Young – 6
14/22 Victor Lindelof – 5
15/22 Chris Smalling – 6
16/22 Luke Shaw – 6
17/22 Fred – 5
18/22 Nemanja Matic – 6
19/22 Paul Pogba – 7
20/22 Juan Mata – 6
21/22 Anthony Martial – 8
22/22 Alexis Sanchez – 7
1/22 Asmir Begovic – 6
2/22 Simon Francis – 6
3/22 Steve Cook – 7
4/22 Nathan Ake – 8
5/22 Adam Smith – 6
6/22 Junior Stanislas – 7
7/22 Lewis Cook – 6
8/22 Jefferson Lerma – 7
9/22 Ryan Fraser – 6
10/22 David Brooks – 7
11/22 Callum Wilson – 7
12/22 David De Gea – 6
13/22 Ashley Young – 6
14/22 Victor Lindelof – 5
15/22 Chris Smalling – 6
16/22 Luke Shaw – 6
17/22 Fred – 5
18/22 Nemanja Matic – 6
19/22 Paul Pogba – 7
20/22 Juan Mata – 6
21/22 Anthony Martial – 8
22/22 Alexis Sanchez – 7
“We were defensively awful. As a team we didn’t press or do any of the week 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.”
Mourinho read his side the riot act at the break but it was the introduction of Ander Herrera from the bench which turned the tide in his side’s favour.
“I started off positive,” he added. “I said it is impossible to play worse than we did so the second half will be better for sure. I was happy bringing Ander Herrera into the game.
“I felt we needed him to give more balance and to recover the ball faster. I was happy with that change. It was much better.”
Mourinho had expected a better performance from the off and despite calls to be more positive has again preached the need for a balance between attack and defence.
“I can’t believe that double chance from Ashley Young and Marcus Rashford. I can’t understand [why we started slow],” he added. “My coaches said it was the best warm-up of the season.
“I think a few 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.
“We were ready for that. We knew that Joshua King was not playing. I really can’t understand the kind of mentality that brings me more white hair!”
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