Jose Mourinho rounded on Stewart Downing and other alleged ringleaders after a player revolt led to Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough sacking.

The Manchester United manager spoke to his former Real Madrid assistant on Thursday after chairman Steve Gibson delivered the news.

'I know the names,' Mourinho said when asked about any influence Boro stars had on Karanka's departure.

Middlesbrough axed boss Aitor Karanka on Thursday morning after three years in the job

Stewart Downing was involved in a training-ground bust-up with manager Aitor Karanka

Sportsmail revealed Gibson took the decision to remove Karanka after a dispute with Downing, a club favourite who started his career at the Riverside Stadium.

Mourinho travels to the North East with United on Sunday and said he is surprised by the way Karanka has been treated, claiming the Spaniard's players were instrumental to his demise.

Gaston Ramirez also had a poor relationship with Karanka, who took aim at Boro supporters in January.

'I think he deserved to be sacked,' Mourinho said sarcastically. 'In the first year he arrived, the team was going into League One and he saved the team.

'In the second year, he took the team to Wembley to play the play-off final. In the third year he had direct promotion. I think in the fourth year, he deserved to be sacked.'

Boro lie three points adrift of safety in the Premier League with 11 games left, having won twice since October. They have scored three goals in their last 10 Premier League games, winning none of them — a run stretching before Christmas.

It is a barren spell that has left caretaker-boss Steve Agnew seeking a more attacking approach.

Jose Mourinho spoke to his former assistant at Real Madrid following the decision by Boro

'My approach has always been if you don't score a goal, you don't win a game,' he said. 'We know what we have to do. We've done lots of hard work all season but haven't really got the breaks we've needed.

'Is there something we've missed? Probably not. It might just be the bounce of the ball or a slight tweak.'

Agnew, who was assistant under Karanka, will hope his new No 2 Joe Jordan can be a secret weapon — an attack-minded coach who can bring out the best of the Teessiders.

'Joe was a very good forward,' Agnew said. 'It is an area he's strong in. He can help us.'

Agnew and Jordan face a tough baptism against Mourinho but will hope a supportive home crowd and midday kick-off work in Boro's favour.

Steve Agnew will take charge of Middlesbrough until the end of the season

'Early kick-offs can bring real purpose and intensity. That's what I'll be expecting from the players,' he said. 'Our crowd has been terrific and the players respond off them.'

Agnew is highly regarded by Gibson and is expected to be given the rest of the season to stake his claim for the manager's role on a permanent basis.

However, former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is interested in returning to management and is confident his experience could keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League.

The 70-year-old has not worked in the Premier League since leaving QPR in 2015.