UNITED Reasons for Jose to be cheerful...

WHICH Jose Mourinho will show up as club football returns and United attempt to claw themselves back into the title race?

Having spent the majority of October with a face like thunder, Mourinho will be looking to bring some sunshine to Old Trafford as autumn turns to winter.

He has identified the Christmas period as pivotal to United’s hopes of eating away at City’s eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League – with the December 10 derby already standing out as crucial to their challenge.

In that sense the international break may have come at an ideal time for Mourinho, who has been given two weeks to assess the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, which has put Pep Guardiola’s side in command.

While ongoing uncertainty over the United manager’s long-term future is unlikely to lift his spirits – the final international window of the year has provided cause for optimism, as M.E.N. Sport explores here.

After scoring 16 goals in 13 games for club and country up to and including the previous international break, Romelu Lukaku’s sevengame drought coincided with United slipping to eight points behind City.

He insisted his confidence hadn’t been hit by his goalless run – but all strikers define themselves by their hit rate.

Since saying his goodbyes to Mourinho the 24-year-old has made history for his country - becoming Belgium’s all-time leading scorer with 31 goals.

A return of three goals in two games for Roberto Martinez’ side during this break will have done him the world of good – as evidenced by his own declaration that he is a ‘leopard in the box.’

Mourinho will be desperate to see him bounce right back into goalscoring form on his return to club matters.

Paul Pogba is edging ever closer to a return from his hamstring injury – taking part in training at Carrington and pushing to be involved in the first team squad shortly.

Newcastle on Saturday may come too soon, with Mourinho unwilling to risk jeopardising his recovery.

But the Frenchman is on verge of handing United a major boost - providing the creativity and authority they have lacked in midfield since suffering the injury in September.

Pogba is the name on every United fan’s lips, but he is one of a host of injured players Mourinho is expecting to be able to call upon in the coming weeks. Marcos Rojo was due to return to action for the under 23s on Wednesday night after recovering from knee ligament damage, while Michael Carrick has also stepped up his fitness by resuming training.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, is scheduled to be back in contention before the end of the year after his own knee ligament injury.

Victor Lindelof arrived at Old Trafford in the summer with high expectations - but has failed to establish himself in Mourinho’s defence so far.

A total of just six starts this season has been a measure of his struggles.

But if Sweden’s qualification for the World Cup – at the expense of Italy, no less – doesn’t lift his confidence, nothing will.

Mourinho was on hand to watch the first leg and will have been impressed by what he saw.

It’s been a difficult period for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who continues to struggle for consistency.

While he has maintained Mourinho’s confidence, his failure to impose himself on the biggest matches has been notable – particularly in the absence of Pogba.

He made a point of apologising to Armenia fans after his country’s 6-1 defeat to Poland in October as his troubles escalated to the international stage too.

But he enjoyed a much more prosperous break this time around – starring in the 4-1 win against Belarus.

Mourinho will hope that form continues when back in the red of United.