James Rodriguez made the most of a rare start to open the scoring in first-half stoppage time before Karim Benzema sealed all three points 20 minutes from time.
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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted his side have to improve after they suffered their third defeat in eight days with a 3-1 Premier League loss at Watford, while Tottenham surged to third on the ladder.
After claiming bad luck as the second factor in the Watford defeat, Mourinho conceded it was defensive mistakes from his own players that led to Watford’s second goal.
“We played very well, even against Arsenal and Chelsea here at home, but we were more unlucky than today”.
Manchester United slumped to a third successive defeat against a Watford side that scored a goal from an offensive foul and an incredible late effort from Juan Camilo Zuniga just 53 seconds after entering the pitch.
Since then the Special One has become the Beaten One, defeated in 11 of his past 21 Premier League games with Chelsea and Manchester United. Some individual feel the pressure too much. “But from a collective point of view, I only have good things to say about them”. Only Odion Ighalo’s miss spared United from an early setback.
A dejected United goalkeeper David De Gea during the match.
It is likely only to have pleased Liverpool further, to see that their one word tweet seemed to really irk old foe and former United captain Gary Neville. The Uruguay defender’s challenge on Martial on the right flank, tripping the winger, was deemed permissible by referee Michael Oliver.
Paul Pogba cracked a dipping shot against the bar moments later, but United fell behind in the 34th minute when Daryl Janmaat cut the ball back for Capoue to sweep home his fourth goal of the campaign.
After five games City are top with 15 points, ahead of Everton on 13. The Frenchman couldn’t continue, hobbling off with Ashley Young taking his place. Jurgen Klopp’s side look a match for any team in the division, but as their 2-0 loss at Burnley demonstrated, they can struggle when opponents sit back and force them to take the initiative. Both players received treatment but they continued.
Asked whether Martial was concussed, Mourinho responded: “I don’t know”.
“I knew I had a task”.
The Belgium global has been the central figure as Pep Guardiola implements his tactical system at City, and he continually demonstrates he is the key player to link the play between the midfield and attack, after starring for his side in their dominant first-half display against Manchester United last weekend. It was Rashford’s 10th goal for United since making his debut in February, a team high. We were showing complete control, intensity, creation. “The game was there to win and never to lose”.
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Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a flying save but Zuniga scored from a cutback by Roberto Pereyra less than a minute after coming on. Could not be blamed for Zuniga or Deeney’s goals but probably would have had a better chance of saving Capoue’s shot if he had used his hands instead of his feet.
