TIME TO MAN UP

JOSE MOURINHO refuses to panic but has ordered his Manchester United players to man up.

The Old Trafford boss is still seething after being humiliated on Sunday when his former club Chelsea thrashed United 4-0.

Next up tomorrow are neighbours Manchester City in an League Cup fourth round tie, which Mourinho can ill afford to lose on home soil.

“There is no way to hide because I think our faces speak by themselves,” said Mourinho.

“We are really, really sad but again this is not for kids, this is for men and tomorrow we have to be men.

“The miilions of fans we have all around the world will obviously have a bad feeling. I feel sorry for that. I have to apologise for that as leader of this dressing room.

“There is only one answer, like I was telling the players. Train and keep fighting. Now we need to win matches.”

If he didn’t realise before Mourinho now knows just how big the rebuilding job at Old Trafford is after three years of crumbling since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Not even the £150m spent in the summer a rethink, with Michael Carrick being considered for a return to add some midfield experience.

Mourinho landed Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the summer.

Defender Bailly has looked the best acquisition but could now be out for up to four months with a knee injury while Mkhitaryan has been left out as he adapts to life in England. United midfielder Juan Mata said they should not press the panic button but admits the City game is vital.

“If we win that game we will feel completely opposite,” said Mata.

“It’s time to think about keeping the team together, being strong and facing the next game – which is a very important one.”