<p class="title">Jose Mourinho warned of the troubles that could lie ahead for his Manchester United side, but the Portuguese must still accept much of the responsibility from a 2-3 defeat at Brighton that has the Red Devils' season off to a bad start.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The concern for United is now whether Mourinho is capable of stemming the tide to turn things around in a way he wasn't in his third season at Real Madrid or in his second spell at Chelsea.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On those occasions his fall even came from a position of strength he isn't afforded now having won the league in the previous season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This time round after a trophy-less campaign, Mourinho clashed with the club's board over their failure to significantly strengthen his squad, particularly at centre-back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho's point was illustrated in a disastrous defensive display at the Amex in which United conceded three times in the first-half with centre-backs Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly at fault.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward could point to the fact that £60 million ($76 million) has been spent on Bailly and Lindelof in the past two seasons since Mourinho took charge as justification for not trusting his manager with more cash to splash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The centre backs melted and you can't do that in the Premier League," said former United captain turned TV pundit Gary Neville on Sky Sports.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When Manchester United are so publicly in the transfer window looking for defenders, what belief does that give them?</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They know they're on borrowed time and I have to say Bailly and Lindelof were poor. They are the ones Jose has signed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It has been poor recruitment. That back four aren't good enough to win the title."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Woodward hinted on the final day of the transfer window that the club had to take a more long-term view than Mourinho.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Despite signing a new contract till 2020 in January, the growing feeling is Mourinho will do well just to see out the current campaign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Woodward's long-term view also included holding on to Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial despite their rifts with Mourinho.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pogba was again entrusted with the captain's armband at Brighton, but his admission he didn't show the right attitude was hardly one of an inspirational leader.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They had more hunger than us. I put myself first, that my attitude wasn't right," said the French World Cup winner.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A big response is needed when Tottenham visit Old Trafford next week to avert a crisis spiralling before the opening month of the season is out.</p>
<p class="title">Jose Mourinho warned of the troubles that could lie ahead for his Manchester United side, but the Portuguese must still accept much of the responsibility from a 2-3 defeat at Brighton that has the Red Devils' season off to a bad start.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The concern for United is now whether Mourinho is capable of stemming the tide to turn things around in a way he wasn't in his third season at Real Madrid or in his second spell at Chelsea.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On those occasions his fall even came from a position of strength he isn't afforded now having won the league in the previous season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This time round after a trophy-less campaign, Mourinho clashed with the club's board over their failure to significantly strengthen his squad, particularly at centre-back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho's point was illustrated in a disastrous defensive display at the Amex in which United conceded three times in the first-half with centre-backs Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly at fault.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward could point to the fact that £60 million ($76 million) has been spent on Bailly and Lindelof in the past two seasons since Mourinho took charge as justification for not trusting his manager with more cash to splash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The centre backs melted and you can't do that in the Premier League," said former United captain turned TV pundit Gary Neville on Sky Sports.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When Manchester United are so publicly in the transfer window looking for defenders, what belief does that give them?</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They know they're on borrowed time and I have to say Bailly and Lindelof were poor. They are the ones Jose has signed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It has been poor recruitment. That back four aren't good enough to win the title."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Woodward hinted on the final day of the transfer window that the club had to take a more long-term view than Mourinho.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Despite signing a new contract till 2020 in January, the growing feeling is Mourinho will do well just to see out the current campaign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Woodward's long-term view also included holding on to Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial despite their rifts with Mourinho.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pogba was again entrusted with the captain's armband at Brighton, but his admission he didn't show the right attitude was hardly one of an inspirational leader.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They had more hunger than us. I put myself first, that my attitude wasn't right," said the French World Cup winner.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A big response is needed when Tottenham visit Old Trafford next week to avert a crisis spiralling before the opening month of the season is out.</p>