Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho said his English Premier League football side dominated West Bromwich Albion completely in their 2-0 win and performed better than their win against Crystal Palace.
Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck twice in the away match on Saturday to give Mourinho and the United fans plenty to cheer in the club's final game before Christmas. United earlier defeated Palace 2-1 last week.
"I think we played even better than against Crystal Palace because against Crystal Palace we had a little period in the second half where we lost the control. Today, no. Today we were in control for 90 minutes which is very, very difficult," Mourinho told the club's official website after the game on Saturday.
"The players were phenomenal. Organisation great but physically and mentally very strong so I'm really pleased with the players and the result and with the fact that the fans can have a Christmas with hopes that after Christmas we can get in better positions," the Portuguese tactician said.
Mourinho said it is always difficult to run down any Tony Pulis-coached side and the convincing manner of victory on Saturday was thus more satisfying.
"I know Tony (Pulis) well, Tony's teams well, and when you lose control you're in trouble," Mourinho said.
"In any moment they can get free off a free-kick or corner and they score a goal and then the game is a completely different game. They are so powerful physically so it was very important to keep the ball, to keep control, to play in their half, to play them away or far from our box and we did that for 90 minutes."
The players have been given two days off before United host their former manager David Moyes' Sunderland at home on Boxing Day.
"We have two days off now - they (the players) deserve that. Some information is coming out saying I'm the bad guy but I'm not so bad as the wrong information is. I gave them two days off because they deserve," Mourinho said.
--IANS
dm/sam/vt
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