Manchester United betting: Jose Mourinho favourite to be first manager to leave
Jose Mourinho is favourite to be the first Premier League manager to leave his job after a pre-season of frustration has conjured up familiar memories of his final moments at most of his other clubs.
Throughout Mourinho’s time at Old Trafford he’s been in serious mode with few of the smiles or cheeky exchanges with the press that were the trademark of his early Chelsea days.
The fact that the Manchester United boss, whose side came second in the Premier League last year, is the 5/1 favourite to be the first Premier League manager to go speaks volumes about the unease his pre-season mood has created.
He’s spent his time in the United States largely complaining about almost everything – from the absence of his World Cup stars to the standard of refereeing in America.
First Premier League manager to leave (Sky Bet odds)
Perhaps the most serious sign though is his latest poke at the Manchester United board for the lack of transfer activity this summer.
“I would like two more players. I don't think I'm going to have two," Mourinho said. "I think it's possible I'm going to have one.
"I gave my club a list of five names a few months ago. I wait to see if it's possible to have one of these players.
"If it is possible, good, if it is not possible we keep fighting, working and believing in the players that we have."
While it may be just another complaint to add to the catalogue, pointing his anger towards Edward Woodward and the United board could be a sign of mounting unrest in that relationship – and that, more than anything else, could be the key to his future.
United were the best of the rest behind City last season and he’s added Brazil midfielder Fred and Portuguese full back Diogo Dalot to his ranks, but wants to sign either Harry Maguire or Toby Alderweireld.
Securing one of those two might ease his mood, but he’s already got a decent back catalogue from his summer press conferences.
Jose Mourinho on…
Anthony Martial: "Anthony Martial has the baby and after the baby is born - beautiful baby, full of health, thank God - he should be here and he is not here.
Antonio Valencia: "Antonio Valencia comes from holiday - I think too much holiday for him. His condition was not good when he was back, then injury and also go back.
Available squad for pre-season & Liverpool game: "The atmosphere in the stadium was good but if I was them I wouldn't come. I wouldn't spend my money to see these teams. This is not even 30% of my squad. What about Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Antonio Valencia? This is our squad. The majority of the players that played are not going to play - some of them are not even going to belong to the squad."
Referee v Liverpool: "The referees came by mistake. They were called by the baseball federation and thought it was baseball but found out it was soccer.
On Alexis Sanchez: "Alexis is the only attacking player we have. We don't have wingers or strikers. He is the only one who is here and the poor man is there is trying his best with the frustration of somebody who wants more."
Start of the season: "When I look to Leicester, if I'm not wrong, only Harry Maguire and Jamie Vardy, were in the World Cup in the final phase. I think a team that is working for six weeks minimum, with only one central defender and one striker missing, it is clear how much better the situation is for them.
"When I look to Brighton on the second game, I don't think they have any player that is not doing a very good pre-season with lots of matches and training together.
"So of course, against Leicester and Brighton the situation is not amazing for us. We will have to fight for the points with the players we have available."
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