Jose Mourinho praised Romelu Lukaku after the Manchester United striker played an important role at both ends of the pitch during the 2-1 win at Watford on Saturday.
Lukaku scored the opening goal 35 minutes into the Vicarage Road clash before Chris Smalling put United two goals ahead soon afterwards.
However, the Red Devils missed a number of chances to put the game to bed and ended up facing a nervy finish after Andre Gray halved the deficit with 25 minutes remaining.
Nemanja Matic was sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time before David De Gea - impressive throughout the game - pulled off a fine late save to ensure three points for United.
Mourinho's men were made to work hard for the victory by a Watford side who had won their opening four games of the season, and the coach singled out Lukaku for special praise after the striker worked hard in defence - with a strong sliding tackle on the right flank a highlight for his manager.
In Pictures | Watford vs Manchester United | 15/09/2018
"I’m very happy with the points, I’m very happy with the spirit," Mourinho told reporters. "I am very happy with something that represents for me the spirit of the team, which is Lukaku’s sliding tackle after 50 metres running back to help the team.
"But I feel a bit frustrated because we had everything in the first half to kill the game. I think if we played the second half in the way we played the last bit of the first we would be in this moment with a completely different result, and without the last 10 minutes.
"But no, in the beginning of the second half we let the game go down in intensity, we stopped to be aggressive with and without the ball. We gave them the chance to be reborn and score a goal and give us a difficult match."
Mourinho also hailed Smalling after the defender volleyed United's crucial second goal - but the coach was less impressed with the England international's recent haircut.
“[Chris] was good," he added. "The only thing I don’t like in Chris is the haircut, but I am nobody to tell him that!
"But also Victor [Lindelof] and, I repeat, Marouane [Fellaini]. It was very difficult for them in two difficult matches.
"Matches of two and against two, because Burnley and Watford [play] two strikers, and they are two strikers that can hold the ball, they can make runs, they are good in the air, they are physical, they are clever – so I think these three guys they were very important for us today. And when a central defender can score a goal, I think even better."
