Mourinho was unable to watch Saturday’s key game between Manchester City and Chelsea because of training, “but I am not going to do the mathematics. I am not going to be worried about that. We are in a situation at the moment where we cannot be thinking about the Manchester City v Chelsea result or another result. I don’t care.

“We lost eight points at home that we did not deserve to lose. With those eight points, I think we would be third, just behind the leaders, so I think it is a false position”.

Mourinho has changed United’s approach so that “we play now in between the opponents’ lines. We look forward, our defensive line is very high. Our central defenders don’t follow the man, they defend zonal.

“There are different styles of playing football. We try to follow our style. I have never had a team with so much ball possession. I have never had a team with so much control of a game by having the ball. I have never had a team that creates so many chances.