“Mr Bond, we have a saying in Chicago,” said Auric Goldfinger. “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time is enemy action.”

IT IS a quote Jose Mourinho would do well to learn. This was the third time in 13 months he had been sent off. All three were against teams who play in claret and blue (West Ham twice, Burnley once).

Two were in matches refereed by Jonathan Moss, a man Mourinho once called “f***ing weak” to his face. Three times is too many. Mourinho is fast becoming a liability on the touchline.

His two dismissals at Old Trafford were triggered by one of Mourinho’s own players diving. Against Burnley last month, it was Matteo Darmian throwing himself to the turf in an attempt to win a penalty. This time, it was Paul Pogba, although it was far less blatant.

As Mark Noble swung his boot in the middle of his own half, the Frenchman flung himself to the ground and he could have legitimately argued he was taking evasive action.