If Jose Mourinho was on a short leash after Manchester United’s 3-2 loss to Brighton, he may have just run out of rope after enduring what might be the worst defeat of his managerial career.
Man United suffered a 3-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, the largest home loss Mourinho has ever suffered as a manager in any competition.
Mourinho Defiant After Loss
The loss leaves Man United with just three points from their first three games, good for 13th place in the English Premier League. Tottenham moved into second place, having won all three of their matches so far and only trailing early leaders Liverpool on goal differential.
Despite being pummeled in front of their own fans, Mourinho was defiant in his post-match press conference, saying that he – and the supporters – still believed in the team.
“We lost last season here against Sevilla and were booed because we deserved to be, because we were not good, we were not dangerous enough,” Mourinho told reporters. “Today the players left the pitch after losing at home and the players were applauded because they deserved it. So keep trying, and trying, and trying.”
The press conference eventually turned heated, with Mourinho storming out after demanding respect from reporters. Just before he left, the embattled manager reminded everyone of his illustrious track record.
“What was the score? This,” Mourinho said, holding up three fingers. “What is this also? Three Premierships I have won, more Premierships than the other 19 managers put together. Me three, them two. Respect, respect, respect.”
Two other managers currently coaching in the EPL have won league titles: Pep Guardiola, who won with Manchester City last year, and Manuel Pellegrini, who also has a title with City, and now manages West Ham.
Paddy Power Pays Out on Mourinho Markets
Between another disappointing performance from his side and the strained display in his press conference, speculation that Mourinho could be sacked – either sooner or later – has intensified, with bookmakers slashing their odds on a firing happening at some point.
Last week, Paddy Power had Mourinho at 5/1 odds to be the first manager fired from the Premier League. No stranger to publicity stunts, the Irish bookmaker has already paid out to those who backed the Man United manager to be sacked at any point this season.
“It feels as though Jose Mourinho has been digging his own grave for the last few months and, already this season, his Manchester United career seems dead and buried,” spokesperson Paddy Power said in a statement.
Other bookmakers aren’t showing quite that level of confidence just yet, though they’re getting closer. At Betfair, Mourinho is now the 10/11 favorite to be the first EPL manager out of a job.
“He’s 1/4 not to see out the season and we’ve even got a price for him of 6/1 not to last the week,” said Betfair spokesperson Katie Baylis.
United’s poor performance over the first three weeks of the season has also shattered confidence in their ability to content for an EPL championship this year. While they were once the third choice in better, Paddy Power now lists them at 50/1 to win the league, far behind Manchester City (4/6), Liverpool (12/5), Chelsea (10/1) and Tottenham (12/1).
