Old Trafford chief feared referee in 2-1 win over Liverpool would be influenced by pundit's opinion that match-winner should have received a red for a challenge
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JOSE MOURINHO has accused Manchester United legend Gary Neville of forcing him to haul off goal hero Marcus Rashford to save him from a red card.
For the second time in just 48 hours, United boss Mourinho tore into Sky pundit Neville over his outspoken comments.
Mourinho claimed he feared Neville had influenced ref Craig Pawson by insisting Rashford should have been sent off for a first-half tackle on James Milner.
The Special One admitted: “At half-time someone told me Gary Neville was asking for Marcus to get a red card.
“I was scared — because I thought the referee was watching and would be influenced by Gary.”
Rashford received a yellow card for the Milner clash. Mourinho, who subbed his two-goal star after 70 minutes, added: “Where Liverpool brought a lot of players to the central area of the pitch, Marcus was defending the corridor.
“With the yellow card and the pressure of Gary, I decided to make a change — and bring on a player on who could still make a foul.”
It followed Mourinho’s blast at the ex-United and England full-back for flopping as a manager at Valencia.
Mourinho was jeered for hooking Rashford — but he in turn slammed the Old Trafford faithful for booing midfielder scott McTominay.
The 21-year-old was slated for going backwards with the ball in the second half as United held on to their lead.
Mourinho said: “The fans can do what they want. I am not upset at all with that reaction to subbing Rashford.
“But I am upset with the reaction they had with Scott, that kid who is 21 years old was making all the right decisions — and they wanted him to make the wrong decisions.
“So when the kid decides to break the intensity, not to lose the ball, to keep possession, play a backpass and keep the ball in the opponents’ half — it was a wonderful solution that many top, top players with experience don’t do.
“But he did it and the fans reacted against the kid.
“That for me was the bad one. To react against me and my decisions, that is not a problem.
“McTominay played with such class and maturity. He really impressed me because the crowd can push with their hearts and even when they were pushing him to do the wrong thing, he did the right thing.”
Rashford grabbed his goals in the first half before Eric Bailly’s own goal set up a nervy finale.
Mourinho added: “If Rashford had not played well, then people would have said I got it wrong.
“If he hadn’t scored, then people would have questioned me.
“But good for Marcus, good for us, it’s special for him as he’s a local boy. To score against Liverpool at Old Trafford is a special feeling for him.”
United are now five points ahead of Liverpool in the battle for second place, with Mourinho adding: “Objective one is top four, objective two is second.”
Kop boss Jurgen Klopp insisted his side should have had a penalty when United substitute Marouane Fellaini brought down Sadio Mane. He said: “We scored a goal and we should have had a penalty. It was a clear foul by Fellaini.
“If Fellaini doesn’t foul Sadio, then Sadio scores or has a shot on goal.
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“In these games, you have to get the right decisions.”
But German Klopp was not happy with United scoring from two punts that were won by Romelu Lukaku.
He said: “You can always lose a challenge to Lukaku, but when you do, you have to close the gap in behind.”
But Mourinho viewed it simply as him exploiting Liverpool’s weakness at the heart of their defence.
He said: “Lukaku was confident he could be dominant in relation to Dejan Lovren — and it worked.
“I want to praise every player but I will go to Marouane first — because after surgery he returned quicker than we thought.”
