Mourinho melee as United concedes late, draws 2-2 at Chelsea

ManU coach Jose Mourinho, right, encourages his team during their English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge stadium in London Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a touchline skirmish after his team conceded a goal in the sixth minute of injury time to draw 2-2 at former club Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

One of Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri’s assistants celebrated wildly in front of United’s bench following Ross Barkley’s late equalizer and it clearly angered Mourinho, who leapt to his feet and was soon in the middle of a melee that included security staff and, before long, players from both sides.

“What happened was with Sarri’s assistant and Sarri was the first one to come to me and say that he would resolve the problem internally with him,” Mourinho said. “And after that, his assistant comes to me in Sarri’s office and apologizes to me.

“I immediately said if you really feel that way and you want to apologize, of course I accept the apology and forget it because I also make mistakes in my career.”

The late goal denied Mourinho a first win in four attempts as United manager at Chelsea, where he won three league titles across two spells at the London club.

Anthony Martial scored goals in the 55th and 73rd minutes as United came from behind to lead after Antonio Rudiger’s opener in the 21st.

Barkley equalized with one of the last kicks of the game, preserving Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season after nine games.

Like in the come-from-behind 3-2 win over against Newcastle before the international break, it needed going behind to really spark United into action.

Mourinho was facing a fourth straight loss at the stadium where he was once revered when Rudiger headed in a corner from Willian. Paul Pogba lost the Germany defender, who was free about eight yards (meters) out to place his header past David De Gea.

Martial drilled home the equalizer from close range after a speculative shot from Ashley Young had landed in the Frenchman’s path via two deflections.

David Luiz headed a great chance wide for Chelsea, whose midfielder N’Golo Kante then had a shot brilliantly tipped aside by goalkeeper De Gea.

Martial put United ahead following a counterattack led by Juan Mata. The ball made its way to Marcus Rashford and he played the ball across to Martial, who took one touch and curled a shot into the bottom corner.

It would have been the first time in seven years that Chelsea lost a home game after leading at halftime.

But Barkley, on as a substitute, pounced from close range after De Gea had clawed away a header from Rudiger, moments after a header from David Luiz had struck the post.

“We were the best team on the pitch,” Mourinho said. “If you say before the game that one point at Stamford Bridge is a good result, it is so difficult to win here. But after the game, with the way the game was, it is an awful result for us and a phenomenal result for them.”