Despite the team’s latest setback against Tottenham on Monday, there is no groundswell of opinion among supporters at Old Trafford to see the Portuguese sacked. United’s manager had barely mentioned supporters pre-season, despite frequent opportunities to do so. When he did, it was to say that if he was a fan he would not have paid to see his team on their tour to the United States. That didn’t go down well, especially with fans who had spent their hard-earned money on flights, accommodation and tickets. Or with the organisers for that matter. Mourinho backtracked, but it was the type of comment that made a rod for his back. At Brighton, the fans did sing his name – at least before the three goals were shipped in a 19-minute capitulation. The Portuguese looked deeply unhappy after that match and remains under intense pressure following Monday’s 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Mourinho is dealing with the scrutiny without his long time right-hand man Rui Faria, who left the club in the summer. Mourinho said the pressure he faces was nothing compared to real world problems, such as the Rohingya suffering in Myanmar, but it’s relative to him, and it shows. Mourinho could have done more to get fans on side pre-season in the US. He had opportunities, but unlike Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who sat down with supporters, communicated and sang with them in Michigan, Mourinho instead scowled his way through the tour. He sets the tone at the club because he is the most important man there. His praise of the players before the Brighton loss looked forced. Same with the adulation to the fans before the Tottenham defeat. José Mourinho still retains the support of the Manchester United hierarchy despite a chastening start to the season that Paul Pogba is confident will not see them swept away. After a summer of discontent, United have lost two of their first three matches of a Premier League campaign for the first time since 1992-1993.
Alex Ferguson’s men went on to win the title that season, but there are few signs that under-fire Mourinho can lead the team to league glory this term. As if the woeful 3-2 loss at Brighton was not enough, the Portuguese tasted the heaviest home defeat of his managerial career as Tottenham ran out 3-0 victors at Old Trafford on Monday. Odds on Mourinho leaving have tumbled but it is understood that United are continuing to back their manager amid the growing storm of scrutiny. The former Chelsea boss certainly has work to do before Sunday’s trip to Burnley given the way his side were ruthlessly carved open by Spurs after United’s bright start became a distant memory. “Even we don’t understand what happened,” United midfielder Pogba said. “We started the game really well, we conceded two goals in the second half. “The first goal was a real blow, we didn’t understand why, because we had the game in hand. One goal, two … we kept pushing, we had chances, and we conceded the third. “The fans kept pushing us, they were really behind us. We feel really sorry for them, very disappointed, we wanted to do better. “I think it was an undeserved defeat for us, in our desire, in everything we put into it. But football can be cruel. We just have to bounce back.”
