Jose Mourinho denied that he utilised Paul Pogba in a centre-back role in the second half against Newcastle and explained that he wanted better distribution from the back.
Mourinho moved Pogba into a deeper position in the second period after taking off Scott McTominay at half-time, with Nemanja Matic filling in at centre-back alongside Chris Smalling.
The tactical switch helped United turn a 2-0 deficit on its head, with Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez getting on the scoresheet to pick up a vital three points.
And Mourinho was delighted his tweak paid off.
'He didn't play centre-back,' Mourinho said.
'He was playing with Matic in front of [Chris] Smalling because we need some technical quality to bring the ball from the back and the way to have some technical quality to bring the ball from the back was to play Paul and Matic there.'
Mourinho also took time to praise the Old Trafford faithful after chanting his name throughout the evening.
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'I'm amazed by that,' Mourinho added. 'I'm amazed by that, I don't want that, if I could tell them please don't do it I would say that, I think this is not about me is about the football club, the club they love, and about the club we represent with all the honour and dignity.
'But I'm amazed by that. At half-time we were losing 2-0 and the fans were magnificent to the team, I don't speak to me, to the team and that's fantastic. I used to say in my football memories that one day I beat Liverpool in Anfield 4-1 and I was amazed with the stadium singing Liverpool songs, I was amazed and full of respect by that.
'I'm in a situation [where] I'm losing 2-0 at home in a match that was very important for us to win and the fans were absolutely amazing. I'm really grateful for that and my happiness is not because of myself, is because of the fans and the players.
'They can go to the national team with a good feeling and the fans can go home with a feeling of victory.'
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