Jose’s hopes sinking fast
JOSE MOURINHO must have a warped sense of humour to make his Manchester United squad sleep in a hotel called Titanic.
Only Mourinho could think that exposing his struggling superstars to endless reminders of a sinking ship was a good idea the night before one of their biggest games of the season.
But that’s exactly what he did.
Perhaps, in Mourinho’s mind, it was a shot across their bows and a warning that nothing and no one is indestructible.
Whatever it was, it didn’t work and United sank far quicker at Anfield than it took for the Titanic to disappear under the sea.
Yesterday’s 3-1 trouncing, though, was just the latest humiliation in a terrible season and the statistics are damning.
United have 26 points – fewer points at this stage of the campaign than they did under either David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, who were branded failures and sacked.
Their defence has already conceded more goals (29) than during the whole of last season.
But worst of all, they now trail leaders Liverpool by a staggering 19 points.
Considering everything United do or achieve is usually measured against their most bitter rivals – past and present – there was little wonder that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and United legend Sir Bobby Charlton alongside him both looked crestfallen.
Last week Mourinho compared returning United to the top of the game with furnishing a house.
Ironic, coming from someone who has taken the best suite in a Manchester hotel since taking charge of United in 2016. Woodward has tried to help Mourinho build a replica of the side that dominated English football under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson with lavish spending.
The problem, though, is that they have paid Harrods prices for Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Fred, but all three of them might as well have come from IKEA.
The mantra round Anfield is that ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, but Mourinho will have done just that as he trudged back to his car last night.
He is running out of friends fast and looked lost on the touchline during a defeat that was expected but nevertheless shattering.
While Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was all arms and adrenalin, Mourinho stood with his hands in his pockets, looking like someone waiting for his own funeral.
Even when United somehow managed to equalise Sadio Mane’s opener through Jesse Lingard, Mourinho showed no emotion and sat slumped in his seat, sheltering from the bitter cold.
At one stage there was a chorus of ‘F*** off Mourinho’. At the time, it wasn’t clear if it came from home supporters, travelling ones or both.
Towards the end a sarcastic chant of ‘Don’t sack Mourinho’ bellowed down from the Kop. There are no guarantees it won’t happen, because there are no guarantees United will finish in the top four.
But those who run United have to find the character and strength to push the button – because this was one hell of a reality check.
With Christmas just around the corner, it was fitting United resembled the turkeys, while Klopp’s men provided all the trimmings.