Pereira, who struggled for regular first-team action under Louis van Gaal, sealed the win with a stunning strike in the 58th minute and Mourinho is excited about the 20-year-old Brazilian’s potential.
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Goals from Will Keane and Andreas Pereira gave United a 2-0 win.
But it still represented a winning start to his reign as United manager as the 5,500 United supporters in attendance welcomed him by chanting his name within the opening minute.
Jose Mourinho paid tribute to England left-back Luke Shaw as he continued his comeback from a 10-month injury lay-off in the new Manchester United manager’s first game in charge of the club.
United’s starting lineup featured debutants in Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the former one of only four players who came out again for the second half.
“When I found Luke Shaw in the training ground, it was a surprise for me, because I thought he can not be ready”, he was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.”But he did fantastic in the summer, sacrificed his holiday, staying in the city and training every day”.
And Mourinho was full of compliments after the game – not least to his accommodating hosts.
He added: “They were not in a flawless way of course because the conditions are not the best with only 10 days of training, accumulation of fatigue and no sharpness, so it takes times”.
Nine minutes later United were two up as Ander Herrera’s shot from Ashley Young’s free-kick fell kindly for Pereira, who lashed an unstoppable shot into the top-left corner, before Mourinho’s men saw the game out easily.
“I’m very happy that I scored in this game, and yeah, it was not a bad strike at all”, he told MUTV.
Mourinho told MUTV: “Mkhitaryan is a top-class player and now at the best stage for a footballer – 27/28 years old”.
“My reaction is that honestly I would prefer the fans to go with the players”.
“I was trying to be comfortable, so I think day by day it will be better”. He surged forward from the left and put in a great cross to find Depay at the back post, but a tug from Donervon Daniels saw him only able to direct the ball past the post.
He concluded “I am trying, because the first days are always very difficult” mainly because you “have to get to know your team-mates and their qualities”.
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“Of course, he’s is a very young boy coming from a completely different environment but you could see what he is in this moment”.
