Mata, Martial, Sanchez leave it late to save Manchester United the blushes and Mourinho's job

Manchester United left it late after Alexis Sanchez popped with a headed goal in the dying stages of the match which may have potentially saved Jose Mourinho’s job and spared Manchester United an embarrassing home defeat against struggling Newcastle United.

The Portuguese manager was all over the headlines in the build-up to the match with several media reports suggesting that the Manchester United hierarchy had grown fedup with Jose Mourinho's antics. However, the club board were later quick to deny the speculation.

And now if the United board needed assurance that squad were still behind the manager and if they were still capable of putting up a fight for the remainder of the season, then Saturday's result was much-need proof.

Old Trafford was left rocking after witnessing a cracker of a match. The Red Devils were left clueless after goals from Kennedy and Yoshinori Muto had given Newcastle United a dream start. Though, Manchester United sprung to life in the second-half after goals from Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez sealed an incredible comeback.

United were shell-shocked after they found themselves 2-0 down within the first 10 minutes. For a mid-table team like Newcastle, who had only scored four goals coming into this game, were ahead after just seven minutes after Kenedy made a stirring run before unleashing a unstoppable shot past David De Gea.

And if that shock wasn't enough, what followed three minutes later left Old Trafford stunned. Jonjo Shelvey's cross was met by Yoshinori Muto in a crowded boz before Ashley Young skipped past Ashley Young before rifling home.

Mourinho looked in complete disarray with the series of events, afterwhich he immediately decided to sent his substitutes out to warm up and after 18 minutes decided to make his first change of the night by replacing Eric Baily, who's defending was questionable for the first goal, for Juan Mata.

With United showing more attacking intent than ever, they somehow failed to make the most of their chances in the final third with Marcus Rashford wasting an excellent chance when he directed his header from a Romelu Lukaku cross went wide on 22 minutes.

The Old Trafford faithful, who largely backed Mourinho even after enduring such a difficult start to the campaign, were growing disquiet with the Red Devils staring at their fifth defeat season. In the quest of salvaging some pride, Jose Mourinho decided to bring on Marouane Fellaini for Scott McTominay at half time while Alexis Sanchez was called on for a wasteful Marcus Rashford.

The gamble paid off wonderfully after Juan Mata produced a moment of magic from a dead ball free-kick to send the fans at Old Trafford into raptures. It was Anthony Martial who earned the free-kick on the edge of the box, for the Spaniard for delightfully place the ball into the bottom corner of the net

Following the first goal, Mourinho encouraged his players to attack, a soundbite which has been a familiar among several players this season. Manchester United came close to grabbing the second after an excellent save from the Newcastle keeper had denied Chris Smalling.

But it only delayed the inevitable. United's persistent efforts paid dividends in the 76th minute after Paul Pogba setup Anthony Martial after a great piece of interplay, only for the French forward to blast the ball into the back of the net past the Newcastle goalkeepers' reach.

United were not just done yet, United kept on piling men forward in search of that important winner. And the moment finally arrived when Ashley Young's cross found Alex Sanchez in a crowded area, who rose the highest to secure the three points for Manchester United and save his manager's job.