Manchester United were a different team when they emerged from the tunnel following half-time in Saturday evening's Manchester derby.
2-0 down going into the break, Paul Pogba had his side level ten minutes after the teams re-emerged with two goals in two minutes. A third from Chris Smalling a little over 20 minutes from the end won the game for United.
Chris Smalling said following the game that Jose Mourinho didn't say much at half-time. There was no rousing speech from the Portuguese bar stating that he didn't want his side standing around looking like clowns while their city rivals confirmed their status as Premier League champions.
The turnaround was player-inspired rather than management inspired.
According to Paul Hirst of The Times, it was Ashley Young and Michael Carrick who spoke at the break. A source old Hirst that Young said:
The City fans are shouting ‘Olé’ and they’re embarrassing us. Are we going to stand for that? Remember your responsibilities to the fans and the badge. Show some pride and fight for each other.
Though Carrick was not part of the matchday squad - he announced last month that he will retire at the end of the season - he was still in the dressing room to exert some influence. The 36-year-old will join the Old Trafford coaching staff at the end of the season.
