Mourinho cautious

SOUTHAMPTON. — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says it is too early to talk about a challenge for the English Premier League soccer title despite watching his side win their fifth match out of six.

United, who have not won the title since Sir Alex Ferguson was at the helm in 2013, are second in the table, level with Manchester City on 16 points, but with an inferior goal difference.

The Portuguese manager conceded his team have started better than last season but sees next month, when they face Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, as more significant.

“I know that last season (by) this fixture I think we would have, maybe, five or six points less than we have this season,” he said. “So we are better this season than last. “But this is nothing. It’s just a start. A difficult period with an accumulation of matches, that comes in October. I really think that six teams are going to fight for the title.”

Manchester City’s 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace on Saturday took them clear of United at the top but the hard-fought 1-0 win at Southampton showed off United’s battling qualities instead of the attacking prowess they have demonstrated in recent weeks.

But United’s victory was marred by more crude chanting from the away fans about goalscorer Romelu Lukaku.

United looked likely to win comfortably after Lukaku’s 19th-minute goal, but had to rely on a hard-pressed defence in the second half and Mourinho praised Phil Jones and Eric Bailly’s performance in the centre of the defence.