Jose Mourinho could face FA inquiry after angrily booting a plastic water bottle into crowd during Manchester United win
Special One gave his stars the Fergie hairdryer as Nemanja Matic's strike snatched a stoppage time win at Crystal Palace
JOSE MOURINHO gave his stars the Fergie hairdryer as Manchester United snatched a stoppage time win at Crystal Palace.
And the frustrated United boss could face an FA inquiry after angrily booting a plastic water bottle into the Selhurst Park crowd.
Mourinho, 55, admitted he tore into his players during the half-time interval after falling behind to struggling Crystal Palace.
He said: “I can’t tell you half of the things I told them because there would be lots of beep, beep, beeps.
“There were a few strong words relating to their attitude and the intensity of the game and we needed a bit of luck to win in the last minute.
“We started bad once more, not pressing the ball or the opponent and giving them too much space.
“So it was a fantastic comeback to win the game but we made mistakes, particularly the disgraceful and childish second goal we conceded.
“It is a good goal to show the kids in the academies all over the country because it proves that even top players can concede silly goals.”
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Mourinho apologised to a Palace fan behind his dug-out when he booted a water bottle which flew into the crowd.
He admitted: “It was basic frustration but I had a lot of good fun with the people behind. Maybe they like me here, because I always praise the atmosphere at Selhurst Park.”
Yet Mourinho’s explanation might still not be enough to save him from an FA charge after he served a one-match touchline ban for kicking a water bottle at West Ham.
Nemanja Matic’s first goal for United deep into stoppage time means United are back up to second place in the Premier League but still 16 points behind leaders City.
Mourinho insisted: “I wasn’t surprised by Nemanja’s goal because he scored an amazing one for me at Goodison Park for and a winner in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon.
“It was a phenomenal goal to get us two extra points but we still needed a remarkable save from David De Gea to keep out Christian Benteke’s header."
The result left struggling Palace back in the relegation zone and manager Roy Hodgson cursing his luck.
He said: “I feel total sadness for a group of players who gave their all for the club and their team-mates against all the odds.
“To come away with nothing, as we did in our last game against Tottenham, and lose to that worldie from Matic is very hard to take.
“We’re back in the relegation zone but after seven games we were eight points adrift and everyone told me we were already down.
“Now we’re only one point adrift and I don’t need any convincing that this team has qualities, determination and enormous fighting spirit.”