MX23RW : Tuesday, November 26 22:53:47| >> :60:3535:3535:
[monks data]
Attendance: 32,689
Middlesbrough logo
Premier League
Mar 19, 2017 at 12pm UK
 
Manchester United logo

1-3

Gestede (77')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Fellaini (30'), Lingard (62'), Valencia (93')

Jose Mourinho explains defensive shape

Jose Mourinho explains defensive shape
© SilverHub
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho explains his defensive shape in the latter stages of Sunday's Premier League clash with Middlesbrough.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that he made two defensive changes during Sunday's Premier League clash with Middlesbrough in a bid to combat the aerial threat from Steve Agnew's side.

Goals from Marouane Fellaini, Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia saw Man United run out 3-1 winners at the Riverside, but the Red Devils had to survive a dangerous spell after Rudy Gestede made it 2-1 in the 77th minute.

Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian were both introduced for the away side in the second period, and Mourinho has claimed that Middlesbrough's long-ball tactics forced him to operate with four central defenders.

"We controlled everything until our second goal and then they changed to play with Gestede and [Alvaro] Negredo. They started putting long balls in the box," Mourinho told BT Sport.

"We decided to defend with an extra defender but I think we made the mistake of letting them push us too much into our box and then it was a fighting 15 minutes where they didn't have chances but they were close to the dangerous areas so the game was alive until the last second."

Man United have risen from seventh position to fifth in the Premier League table.

ID:294135: cacheID:294135:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2823:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Eric Bailly in action for Manchester United on August 15, 2016
Read Next:
Boro, United involved in tunnel bust-up?
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Ravens
30-23
Chargers
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!