MAN UTD v SUNDERLAND

club wants to progress, the people want to be happy again. So I felt good immediately.

“Expectations are high, results are up and down and we’re in a position that is not where we want to be. But in terms of passion for my work, passion for my new club and feeling really happy here, yes.”

Mourinho, 53, did concede Moyes – the same age – arrived at United at a difficult time.

He had to follow Ferguson – who had just won his 13th Premier League title – at a time when it was becoming increasingly competitive.

He also inherited an ageing squad, a point acknowledged by Mourinho who has continued to bring down the age profile, a process begun by his predecessor Louis van Gaal.

Mourinho said: “It’s one thing to have Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt at 25, 26, 27. It’s another thing to have them at 31 or 32. That plays a part, so there are generations and in a certain period, when David came, the situation was not so easy.

“At the same time the Premier League was changing. I knew its evolution and that periods of domination belonged to the past as it was going already in an incredible direction and it is what it is now.

“But I think a manager who’s not sacked is not a manager, or at least is not a good manager. We have to be sacked.

“So it was just a bad moment in David’s career and he has to do what I did, what we all do, move on – and he did that. After United he went to Spain then back to England and the Premier League.”

After a tough start Mourinho’s United are unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions and have won their