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Jose Mourinho let Manchester United stars have furious row at half time during derby defeat to City

The Red Devils underperformed and struggled with their neighbours' quick passing

Jack Austin
Tuesday 13 September 2016 09:20 BST
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Wayne Rooney reacts after Manchester United concede in the derby
Wayne Rooney reacts after Manchester United concede in the derby

Jose Mourinho allowed his Manchester United stars to vent their fury with a heated clear-the-air row at half time of the Manchester derby.

United were humbled in the first 45 minutes by their rivals as City took control of the game and would have gone into the break 2-0 ahead if not for goalkeeper Claudio Bravo’s howler which led to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal.

The Sun reports that Mourinho allowed his players to quarrel amongst themselves before quieting them down and replacing the disappointing Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan with Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera.

Premier League weekend round-up: September 10-11

“The hairdryer came out for the first time this season, but it had nothing to do with Jose,” a source told The Sun.

“The players could be heard shouting and arguing amongst themselves during the interval. Jose decided to let them blow off steam for a couple of minutes.

“He then quietened the whole situation down and told them they also needed to calm down or the second half could be much worse.

“Goodness knows what it would have been like if Zlatan wasn’t handed that gift.”

United improved in the second half but were unable find a way back into the game as Pep Guardiola’s side stole an early march in the Premier League title hunt.

Mourinho also revealed after the game that he would drop a number of his stars who disappointed in the derby for the trip to Rotterdam to play Feyenoord on Thursday.

“The performances are the deciding factor,” Mourinho said on Saturday. “Performances are the only way that I can decide.

“So if you’re asking me if they are going to play against Feyenoord, then no.

“And it is not to punish them, it is to decide in relation to what I have, and what do I have? Their performances.

“So of course I am going to play other players.”

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