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Throughout his career, Jose Mourinho has won laurels at all the clubs he has been, establishing himself as one of the most successful managers of all time. However, his highly impressive CV has failed to shadow his numerous controversies.
It is fair to say that the once 'special one' has never been the most loved one, and the current circumstances at Manchester United is certainly not helping his image.
Having already lost three of the opening eight games, United are in a cumbersome situation, and while there's still a possibility of resurgence, the club doesn't seem capable.
The transfer window
Media reports in the summer regarding the chase of Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld made it quite evident that the United manager was in dire need of a rock solid defender.
For a manager who plays a very defensive brand of football, not having a world-class centre-back was a massive problem, but sadly for him and the United fans, the window shut down with no defensive reinforcements.
Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman of Manchester United, received harsh criticism from the fans for the club's poor performance in the transfer window. Jose, being not so subtle as always, has frequently pointed to the inability of the board to sign players as a reason for the club's appalling form.
However, it is not just the board which is at fault. Jose's inability to unlock the potential of promising defenders like Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly who were bought for a decent amount of money can't be neglected.
Style of football
Jose Mourinho is a defensive minded football manager, deployed by a club which thrives on their tradition of playing free flowing attractive football.
Fans all across the world demand entertainment when they come to support their teams. The demand for entertainment can take a back seat if the team is winning matches comfortably, but unfortunately for Mourinho, that's not the case.
During his time at Old Trafford, Jose has been unable to decide his back four. The inconsistency and lack of discipline in the back four has made United's defence very porous, and had it not been for the miraculous saves from De Gea last season, The Red Devils would surely have not finished second.
Put together, these problems are making it impossible for Mourinho's style to work, resulting in the fans having to see their team lose while playing boring football. Moreover, the fans also have to bear the pain of watching their biggest rivals City and Liverpool play top quality football.
United's fan-base is now split between those who solely blame Ed Woodward for their predicament and those who want both Ed and Jose to leave.
Support from players
To add to the Pogba vs Jose saga that has been in the media for ages, there are fresh reports which suggest a fallout between other players and the manager.
Apparently, the players just like the fans are reluctant to play defensive football. Most of them don't seem like wanting to play for their boss anymore, and the results so far have done nothing to refute those suggestions.
What next?
The rising toxicity at Old Trafford can be further poisoned if things don't go United's way this Saturday. Jose will be traveling to his former nest, Stamford Bridge, to try to make amends for a dismal start to the season.
The Blues on the other hand, will be looking forward to the clash, given their form and recent results against their opponents. Chelsea have lost only twice in their last sixteen fixtures against The Red Devils.
Since their triumph in West London on October 2012, United have only managed a single point at The Bridge, and with the way the season has turned out for The Blues, things aren't looking to get any better for Mourinho.
United fans certainly won't accept any boring loss against a Chelsea side that is playing dynamic football.
Mourinho has to come up with a blueprint for putting up a solid performance against The Blues, perhaps deal with a group of players who have turned their back on him, and also cope with the pressure of being axed.
His career is marked by matches where his wicked tactics has had the better of great teams, and with a return to his former club, the Portuguese has more than one incentive to pull off a 'classic Jose'.
