Jose Mourinho is fighting to save his job at Manchester United as he approaches a critical set of games over the Christmas period.

The manner of United's capitulation at Liverpool on Sunday has left Mourinho under huge pressure again following the club's worst start to a top-flight season in 28 years.

United face Cardiff, Huddersfield, Bournemouth and Newcastle over Christmas – four winnable games that could also be a potential banana skin for the 55-year-old.

Jose Mourinho is fighting to save his job at Manchester United over the busy Christmas period

The manner of the 3-1 defeat by Liverpool has ramped up the pressure on the Portuguese boss

Mourinho has appeared to be in trouble before this season and survived, but he is now odds-on to become the next Premier League boss to be axed.

Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino are among the leading candidates to replace him, although assistant coach Michael Carrick would be a popular choice to step in as caretaker manager.

It's understood that United would have to pay Mourinho one year's salary of £18million to get rid of him, and up to £22.5m if he is still in the Champions League or in contention for a top-four place.

United would need to pay Mourinho close to £40m if the club remain in contention for top four

United drew Paris Saint-Germain on Monday in the last 16 in February and March.

The players were given the day off but have spoken for some time about it being a matter of when, and not if, Mourinho is sacked.

The mood at the club is said to be desperate and he has almost no support left in the dressing-room.

It emerged on Monday that United have triggered the 12-month extension on Anthony Martial's contract - as they did with David de Gea last month - and are conscious that negotiations with both players over a new deal would be easier if Mourinho is no longer in charge.

However, Martial's agent Philippe Lamboley said: 'I am very pessimistic. They've already made several offers that come nowhere near to what we expect.'

There was one piece of good news for Mourinho after the FA lost their appeal over the decision not to punish him for comments made in Portuguese after United's win over Newcastle in October.