It’s Mour or less certain he’ll be off

MANCHESTER UNITED fans are at the stage now where if I guaranteed them top four by playing the way they do, they would take it.

They would shake hands with Jose Mourinho (above) at the end of the season then bring in a more proactive boss such as Mauricio Pochettino (circle, top) or Zinedine Zidane (bottom).

The crescendo of noise at Old Trafford around Mourinho abated after a good result at Juventus and one or two other highlights.

But Mourinho is not staying beyond this season whatever happens.

What amazes me is how many people – after one good result – start saying he has learnt now, it’s changed.

It’s rubbish. He is what he is as a manager. He isn’t compatible with Manchester United, though I thought he might be as he would change.

But he hasn’t. And this is what you’re going to get 85 to 95 per cent of the time with him.

Results with a certain type of football. United fans don’t mind the results, they mind the type of football so that means a divorce at the end of the season.

Eventually the penny will have to drop with Ed Woodward and the Glazers that there are better people out there on a fraction of what Mourinho earns who can get more attacking football from the same group of players.

The results might be similar. Mourinho still wins a lot of games and I still expect United to finish third or fourth this season.

This isn’t about results. This is about winning, allied with United’s fundamental principle, which is to entertain their fan base.

He will never do that. He cannot change at this stage of his career. He is done. He is finished and gone next May or June. The end.