Jose Mourinho accepts Manchester United's form is not good enough as unwelcome record looms
United entertain Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday, having failed to win in their last four home matches
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho accepts that Manchester United’s current form is not good enough, with his side facing the prospect of going five matches without a win.
Rafael Benitez’s struggling Newcastle United visit Old Trafford in Saturday’s evening kick-off, having failed to win themselves this season.
United have only gone five games without victory once since 1999 – enduring an eight-game winless streak during Louis van Gaal’s final season in charge.
When asked whether he accepts that United’s current form is not good enough, Mourinho said: “Yes, I accept [it is not good enough].”
Mourinho then ignored a question on whether he was doing all he can to turn the club’s fortunes around.
United’s last win more than a fortnight ago – a 3-0 Champions League victory against Young Boys in Bern.
Their last win at Old Trafford, meanwhile, was some 59 days ago, on the opening weekend of the season against Leicester City.
Failure to beat Newcastle would stretch United’s winless streak at home to five games – a run last matched during the 1989-90 season.
“No home wins. That’s true. Only one defeat at home all season,” said Mourinho, acknowledging the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in late August.
The United manager counts his side’s EFL Cup elimination on penalties to Derby County as a draw.
“Only one defeat in the last seven matches but not victories at home in the past three matches, three draws, not the feeling of the defeat but not the happiness of the victory so is important for us to try and win this match on Saturday.”
Mourinho added that things were not going to plan at Old Trafford “for many different reasons”, but refused to expand on this answer.
“I know we are in the beginning of October and we look to tables all around Europe and in many of the leagues the tables in September and October don’t reflect what is going to happen in a few months later or even in the end of the season," he said.
“But we are in a position that we can do much better and to do that we need points, points that we lost especially in the last two Premier League matches with one point out of six.
“We know that to improve that position we need to win these three points but we know that our opposition also need the points.”
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