Tunnel-Gate: Manchester City and United given more time

When Jose Mourinho joined Manchester United as manager I was delighted. I dislike the club with a passion and dislike the Portuguese coach equally as much. I felt the arrogance, self-appreciation and sense of entitlement from both meant they were suited, and more importantly, deserved each other.

Of course when Ibrahimovic arrived that could have been just too much arrogance even for the United infrastructure. In the build up to this past Manchester derby it was Jose who was full of hate and lack of respect for the opponent. He was the one stating that City players fall down too easily. Ironically it was his own player to be booked during the match for simulation.

Ander Herrera had clearly initiated the contact and, to be fair, Manchester City were the only side playing football on the day.

The negative comments from the United coach continued after the game, in numerous post match press conferences and interviews.

He criticised referee Michael Oliver in a way he thought might save him from an FA fine by stating that the referee had a good game, but made one bad decision. That and he felt sorry for Oliver, who I believe lost no sleep sunday night.

When asked if he thought City deserved the win on the balance of play, even then the ‘Special one’ couldn’t give Manchester City any credit. Instead he simply said ‘they scored two bad goals’. He continued with an almost incoherent ramble in which he stated that what we (City) were not good at we are good at. The only thing I can take from that is the free-flowing football and attack after attack we have shown for the main part of the season wasn’t there.

While that may be true, we still enjoyed the majority of the possession, with almost double the amount of shots on goal as our hosts. In summary, Jose believes we are lucky and get the decisions.

This is all public, and for all to see. It was a clearly agitated Manchester United boss, feeling the pressure of not being able to compete. The mindset, attitude and general dislike towards, not only Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola was palpable.

Behind closed doors, and with seemingly no video evidence, it boiled over. An altercation either in the tunnel outside the visitors dressing room, or inside the dressing room itself, took place. Facts are scarce but the FA have requested a report from both clubs regarding the incident. With the deadline pushed back to Friday, we now have to wait nother 48 hours to find out anything tangible.

What we do know is that Mikel Arteta, part of Pep’s backroom staff, left with a cut to the head, and it involved a number of players. Jose told reporters in his pre match Bournemouth press conference that there was a clear difference in class between Manchester United and Manchester City.

In that respect, I have to agree. It seems it is only the United coach making comments about the incident. When Pep was asked about celebrations after the game, he simply reiterates that they celebrated but were not over the top. He has even come out to say that if their actions offended Manchester United, as a club, then he apologizes. He continued, but not if it was only one player of just Jose.

Meanwhile Jose talks about the difference in education and behavior between the two clubs. I agree with that also. When Manchester United won the Europa League in the summer did we not see a video of the United players singing negative songs about City? A side not even in the Europa competition.

Have we not seen Jose on numerous occasions run down touch-lines, slide on his knees, tell fans to ‘hush’ and all manner of other over the top, public, celebrations? But it is not a new style for Manchester United, or Mourinho.

In the lead up to this derby game itself, did we not hear Mourinho say that our players go down easily. I believe with ‘a gust of wind’ was all he believed it takes. That’s not even to mention Paul Pogba’s comments hoping a City player might be injured before the game, and therefore not be able to take part.

Nothing about that club is sportsmanlike in its manner. A defeat is never greeted with an introspective look at what could be done better. Instead it was an official who made a bad call, or the other team was lucky. But this is nothing new, and shouldn’t surprise us.

Going back in history the club is littered with examples of poor sportsmanship. When there was a fire at Manchester City’s Hyde Road in 1920, United would only allow us the use of Old Trafford for an exorbitant fee. So much so that even the local media reported it that way at the time, and United lost a lot of goodwill from the Mancunian public.

United were less than sympathetic to our plight and tried to use our situation to their benefit. City, as a result, plodded on at Hyde Road until 1923 when they moved to Maine Road. A ground we allowed United to play at when Old Trafford was bombed during the war.

Fast forward to 1958 and the Munich Air disaster. A time in February remembered, and rightly so for the loss of not only Manchester talent, but also Manchester City’s very own Frank Swift. Every year now, United put on a somber face for those who died and were affected by the tragedy.

But ask the family of Jackie Blanchflower and Johnny Berry how they were treated after the crash. United players who were so badly injured from the incident they couldn’t play again, were told to leave their United owned homes.

Berry was given a little more time, but Blanchflower was out and collecting unemployment less than a year after the crash. That may sound like a good length of time to move on, but he had spent that year trying to return to football. Kicked out as soon as it was obvious he wouldn’t.

So between Manchester City and United there is a difference in class? Yes, I agree.

Going back to the incident in the tunnel, I think once the reports are handed in things will move pretty quickly. I am not sure what the outcome will be for either club, and whether fines will be dished out for failing to control players.

Next: No Joy For Jose As Pep Pulls Clear

In another moment of irony though, it was United who denied City’s request to have Amazon cameras in their dressing room. If we are to believe Mourinho, that could have provided the visual evidence for all to see that City are classless. As it stands, all we have is an incoherent, under pressure and, clearly losing it, Manchester United boss. To have that, and be 11 points clear well, it’s a great time to be a blue.