Jose Mourinho has hit out at the criticism he has faced claiming “football is full of Einsteins” who try “to delete 16 years of my career”.

The under-pressure Manchester United manager was reacting after the EFL Cup Third Round tie away to League One Northampton Town – which his team won 3-1 after a laboured performance to set up a last-16 meeting with Manchester City.

The result followed three successive defeats – against City and Watford in the Premier League and away to Feyenoord in the Europa League – with Mourinho facing questions as to whether he can revive United this season and whether he can get the best out of captain Wayne Rooney who struggled to impress as a central striker against Northampton.