While Tyrone Mings experienced a particularly quiet debut season for Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, the made made one impression – particularly on Zlatan Ibrahimovic -that was worth shouting about.
The 28-year-old defender featured in just seven Premier League games for Bournemouth last season, but only the trip to Old Trafford was memorable. And for the wrong reasons.
Howe’s team, who had shocked so many by preserving their top-flight status for the second consecutive season, have had many great triumphs, and a 1-1 draw at United was one of them.
Tyrone Mings reflects on receiving a five-match ban for stamping on Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Bournemouth defender was involved battled with the forward during the 1-1 draw in March
Sadly for Howe though, a great moral victory was overshadowed by a notorious stamp on the head of United forward Ibrahimovic, sparking an FA investigation, and as a result handing the 24-year-old a five-match ban.
‘I didn’t recognise up until half-time that it was even a big issue, Mings told the Guardian’s Stuart James. ‘Because I hadn’t meant to do it, I didn’t feel like it would be a talking point.’
A Josh King penalty clawed the visitors back into the game in March, leveling the tie after Marcus Rojo gave United the lead early on.
But found himself in hot water after he supposedly stamped on Ibrahimovic’s head
And while he claims he was oblivious, reveals Jose Mourinho hurled abuse at him at half-time
Bournemouth finished the first-half with 10-men after Andrew Surman was dismissed, and so understandably Jose Mourinho was frustrated with the result.
However, Mings, who has been sidelined for a month by a back injury, revealed the United boss was also concerned with the incident and didn’t take well to it, hurling abuse at him at before the second-half began.
‘I realised when (Jose) Mourinho came over when we were coming out for the start of the second half,’ he said. ‘He started giving me some abuse, saying: ‘You think you’re clever. You’re going to get an eight-match ban.’
If that wasn’t enough to spark fear in Mings, he was even warned by the referee, who had originally taken no action the occurrence.
Insisting the Manchester United manager predicted an ‘eight-match ban’ for the incident
‘I just brushed it (abuse from Mourinho) off, but then the referee said something to me as the second half started, saying: ‘It will probably get reviewed.’ I said: ‘What will get reviewed?’ He said: ‘The stamp on his head.’
While it’s not what you need to hear before you resume a game and attempt to regain some focus after having a spat with Mourinho, hearing those words from the mouth of a referee would’ve been baffling for the defender.
Despite the hefty ban issued, and the media attention that followed the incident, Mings has been backed by Howe, appearing in two of Bournemouth’s first five league games and once in the Carabao Cup.
Now though, Mings feels he is in a much better place, saying: ‘As much as i’m disappointed with a football setback, when I look at the bigger picture, it’s not the end of the world.