JOSE’S FINAL FEW HOURS AT HELM

SUNDAY

United lose 3-1 to Liverpool. Mourinho lets some staff know that he believes he will be sacked. On the return coach journey he is annoyed after discovering Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard had broken club rules by filming a social media message from one of the dressing rooms the previous day to mark Lingard’s birthday.

MONDAY

First-team staff are on a day off, Mourinho is at home in London. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is at the Carrington training ground and convenes a conference meeting to discuss the sacking, the suitability of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a caretaker who knows the culture of the club and the need for a director of football. He leaves to watch United beat Chelsea 4-3 in the FA Youth Cup. Mason Greenwood, 17, who has been elevated to the first-team squad, scores a hat-trick.

YESTERDAY

Mourinho travels to Manchester from London by train and is aware of what is to come. Around 7.30am at Carrington, Ed Woodward arrives. Mourinho is picked up at the station.

9am:

Head of human resources Anthony Lawler and head of corporate development Matt Judge are at Carrington. Five minutes later, Mourinho arrives and heads to a meeting with Woodward.

9.15am:

Woodward informs Mourinho he is to be relieved of his duties and outlines the reasons why. Unsatisfactory results, poor performances and fractured relationships played a part. A payoff of around £15m will be made. Mourinho goes to his office to freshen up and begins to pack up.

9.40am:

Staff learn via the radio that the manager has been sacked. Some go to seek him out and offer condolences. Mourinho’s close coaching staff are also told they are to be sacked.

9.50am:

First-team players begin to arrive for training. Some are shocked to hear the news, others arrive smiling, indicative of the relationship they had with their often abrasive manager.

10am:

Players and staff are told to convene in the meeting room at 10.30am for an announcement. Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna attend. They will take training until a caretaker, expected to be Solskjaer, is appointed within 48 hours.

10.30am:

Club staff receive an email from Woodward confirming that Mourinho is no longer firstteam manager and thanking him for his service. Players hug and commiserate with Mourinho’s coaching staff Silvino Louro, Ricardo Formosinho, Carlos Lalin and Stefano Rapetti.

10.50am

Paul Pogba posts an Instagram picture with the phrase ‘Caption This’ attached. Though quickly deleted, it is viewed as being in bad taste by several staff who voice their opinion.

11am:

Players head for training. Mourinho takes bottles of wine from his office to give to some of the kitchen staff, thanks them for their support and wishes them all the best for Christmas.

11.45am:

Mourinho asks some kit men if any can help collect his belongings from the Lowry Hotel and transport them to his home in London. Two volunteer. Mourinho leaves the building at 12.20pm and heads for the Lowry.

1pm:

United players prepare to leave Carrington for a pre-arranged children’s hospital visit. Mourinho’s close staff remain at their usual table in the canteen discussing the day’s events and what comes next. Other staff exchange numbers, pat them on the back and wish them well.

3pm:

Mourinho says goodbye to staff at the Lowry, his temporary home since his appointment in 2016, and heads for London.