Jose Mourinho has insisted his only concern is for Manchester United, not himself, as the early-season pressure continues to mount ahead of his Old Trafford meeting with Tottenham.
The Portuguese veteran has seen his relationship with executive vice chairman Ed Woodward and star player Paul Pogba come under close scrutiny in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
And speculation about his future in charge at United has been a constant theme since a summer in which Woodward failed to deliver his manager’s main transfer targets.
Mourinho’s mood was notably sour during a short and non-too-sweet press briefing on Friday ahead of Monday’s meeting with Spurs.
But with supporters at United’s opening two games having shown their backing for their beleaguered manager, Mourinho claimed his only interest is the well being of his club, not himself.
“The supporters were fantastic in both matches,” said Mourinho. “Not for me, for the team which is the only thing that matters. In my career I was never selfish and thinking about myself, I was always a club man.
“That’s what I am. I am really happy when the supporters they support the team. Against Leicester, you can say in a normal situation because the team was playing well and was winning.
“But to be supportive of the team against Brighton, where we didn’t play well and lost the match, it gives you a fantastic feeling. I hope that feeling, the players also feel it and the players they are ready to give them everything they have.”
Mourinho, however, was clearly in no mood to expand upon the many issues that are swirling around his club ahead of the Monday night evening with Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
The defeat at Brighton last weekend has left little margin for error for Mourinho, even this early in the season, although he insisted that losing against one of the division’s supposedly lesser lights was not a source of frustration.
“No, it is not a frustration because it would also be a frustration if we win every match against the non top-six team and don’t win against the top six, that would also be a frustration,” he said. “We want to win all the time. We want to play well all the time. We don’t want to make mistakes. That is what you always want.
“We want a winning style. Don’t make defensive mistakes. Be dominant. Chances, score goals and go home with the three points.”
Mourinho has clearly been unhappy with the coverage the mainstream media has provided of his club over the past few months – especially a disappointing transfer market and his obviously difficult relationship with key figures at Old Trafford.
And, in response, Mourinho refused to address the issue of whether or not he had entered the new season with a squad that was to his satisfaction.
“You know my answer,” said Mourinho. “I do no need to answer because I do not even know sometimes why I am here because you know everything. During the week it looks like you show that you know everything then I come here and you ask me questions. It’s a bit strange.”
Even when United’s hapless press officer attempted to move the line of questioning onto the meeting with Tottenham, Mourinho refused to play ball or discuss Pochettino’s side.
When asked for his opinion on Spurs’ failure to strengthen their squad this summer, he snapped: “It is not my problem.
