United came from two goals down but could only manage a draw against Burnley yesterday

A day after José Mourinho’s latest outburst, the message from within the corridors of power at Old Trafford regarding their manager remained the same: the Manchester United hierarchy are convinced that the club are moving forward under his stewardship.

When you boil down the figures, it is easy to see why they have come to this conclusion. Despite Mourinho’s gloomy expression, life is not all that bad for United fans at the moment.

Mourinho’s side have accumulated 43 points from 20 games. That is the highest number of points gained by United at this stage of the season since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. A 43-point tally would have been enough to put United top of the table at this stage of the campaign