From his public falling out with Paul Pogba to criticisms of his boring football: How it all unravelled for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United – a timeline of the Special One’s downfall
- Jose Mourinho has finally given the boot after months of decline at Old Trafford
- United suffered their worst start to a season for 29 years under his watch
- Disappointing results and underwhelming performances led to growing unrest
- Mourinho had criticised key players and the board for not signing players
It feels like a long time coming, but Jose Mourinho has finally been sacked by Manchester United.
After a successful first season, the former Chelsea manager has slowly edged towards the precipice, combining underwhelming performances on the field with bewildering remarks off it.
And United have now decided enough is enough, bringing Mourinho's reign to an end after two-and-a-half years in charge.
So how did it happen? Sportsmail takes a look at the last 16 months to find out how it all unravelled for the Special One at Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho has finally been sacked as manager of Manchester United after poor results
The final straw was United's 3-1 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday
The Portuguese boss has endured a difficult few months, including a very public row with Paul Pogba, and has now been let go
Manchester United has announced that Jose Mourinho has left the Club.
We would like to thank him for his work during his time at Manchester United and wish him success in the future. #MUFC
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Summer 2017 – Happier times
The heady days of summer see Paul Pogba praise his manager, saying he deserves the moniker of ‘the Special One’ after the Portuguese manager oversees FA Cup and Europa League success in his maiden season.
But things soon unravel after Pogba heads to Miami for treatment for a hamstring injury in September…
Jose Mourinho was on a high after his first season Europa League and FA Cup successes
Paul Pogba said Mourinho deserved his 'Special One' moniker after winning the Europa League
26 December 2017 – Hints at unrest
After a run of poor results include a League Cup defeat to Bristol City, Mourinho laments how Manchester City are capable of spending ‘striker money’ on full-backs.
Although he has already spent £300million players, he says that is not enough.
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January 2018 – Mourinho signs a new contract
Jose Mourinho signs a new contract with Manchester United on 26 January. The emboldened Portuguese coach begins to take a tougher line with his squad.
The club suffer defeat against Tottenham at Wembley, with Paul Pogba substituted just after an hour.
Mourinho signed a new contract until 2020 in January shortly before a downturn in form
February 2018 – Pogba falls out of favour
After the Spurs loss Pogba is then dropped for United’s trip to Huddersfield and then hauled off again after 60 minutes as United go down to lowly Newcastle.
The former Juventus midfielder was again on the bench for Manchester United’s dire first leg 0-0 draw with Sevilla in the Champions League, with youngster Scott McTominay taking his place.
Pogba had withdrawn from United’s FA Cup match against Huddersfield due to illness four days prior, which did not go down well with Mourinho.
Although Pogba was later brought on after 17 minutes in Seville after Ander Herrera was subbed off injured, his omission leads to speculation that the France international’s relationship with Mourinho has deteriorated.
Pogba fell out of favour and was dropped for the Champions League last-16 tie at Sevilla
The Frenchman had to come on after 17 minutes when Ander Herrera went off injured
24 March 2018 – Relationship with Pogba under strain
Mourinho is barely on speaking terms with Pogba, it's reported and he is instead only communicating with the player through his assistant, Rui Faria.
May 2018 – Mourinho hits out at Romelu Lukaku's back-up options
United suffer defeat at Brighton on 5 May, completing a hat-trick of defeats against the newly promoted sides. Mourinho criticises Marcus Rashford and his back-up options in attack.
‘Now you have your answer to "Why always Lukaku?"' Mourinho said after the game. ‘We are not as good individually as people think we are.
Brighton beat United on 5 May, completing a hat-trick of defeats against newly promoted sides
Mourinho criticised his back-up strikers including Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial
'The players who replaced others didn't perform at a good level and when individuals don't perform at a good level it's difficult for the team to play at a good level.
'And now maybe you understand why some players play more than others and you won't ask me all the time why A, B and C don't play more.’
23 July 2018 - Pogba ‘free from distractions’ at the World Cup, says Mourinho
Paul Pogba inspires France to World Cup glory in Russia. Speaking to ESPN, Mourinho says the World Cup is the ‘perfect habitat’ for the Frenchman.
He said: ‘Why? Because it's closed for a month, where he can only think about football, where he's with his team on the training camp, completely isolated from the external world, where they focus just on football, where the dimensions of the game can only motivate.’
Pogba inspires France to World Cup glory in Russia, but Mourinho still aims a subtle dig
The Portuguese coach said the World Cup suited Pogba as he was away from any distractions
29 July 2018 – Mourinho criticises Antonio Valencia, Anthony Martial and a lack of transfer activity
A summer of discontent lies ahead as Mourinho becomes frustrated at United’s lack of transfer activity.
He reveals he had a list of five potential targets after the Red Devils lose 4-1 to Liverpool in their International Champions Cup match in Michigan.
He said: ‘I would like to have two more players. I think I am not going to have two. I think it’s possible I am going to have one. It’s possible.’
United's summer begins to turn sour as Mourinho laments the lack of transfer activity
Mourinho missed several key players for pre-season because of the World Cup
Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial are both criticised by Mourinho after the Liverpool defeat. Valencia is accused of being in a poor condition and having ‘too much’ holiday, while Martial, who left United’s pre-season training camp for the birth of his second child, also came under fire.
He said: 'He [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.’
1 August 2018 – Martial hits back at Mourinho
Martial hits back at Mourinho on Twitter: ‘Thanks for all your posts. My little Swan is fine but for the mother it is harder. Thanks to God she is better now. Sorry but my family will always come first, back tomorrow in Manchester.’
Speculation grows that the former Monaco winger will leave the club before the transfer window closes.
Martial was criticised for not rejoining the squad in the U.S. after the birth of his son
9 August 2018 - Transfer deadline closes with no additional new faces
Mourinho criticises the club’s inability to sign a new centre-half, saying the season will now be more difficult without reinforcements.
He told Sky Sports: ‘I find myself in the beginning of the Premier League, with the market closed, I find myself in a situation that I thought I was not going to be in, but I think it’s the last time I speak about it.’
He also downgrades his job title, saying he is now more a head coach than a manager.
United sign no new defenders despite Mourinho handing Ed Woodward a list of five targets
10 August 2018 – An opening day win, but Pogba trouble brews
Pogba captains United in their first game of the season at home to Leicester, scoring a penalty in a 2-1 win. After the match, Pogba hints at some difficulty behind the scenes.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘I’ll always give my best to the fans and my teammates no matter what’s going on.’
I’ll always give my best to the fans and my teammates no matter what’s going on. #pogfeelings
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To reporters, Pogba said: ‘Like I always say, I always give my best for the fans, for my team-mates, for the people that trust me.’
Speculation of a rift between player and manager grows, with renewed talk of a transfer to Barcelona. United dismiss the story.
United start the season with a win as Paul Pogba captains the side to victory over Leicester
Pogba put a cryptic message on social media suggesting all was not right behind the scenes
24 August 2018 – Mourinho denies Ed Woodward rift
As rumours swirl of a rift between the Manchester United manager and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward following a disappointing transfer window, Mourinho says he has ‘no problem’ with his boss at a press conference.
Those words were heard by very few reporters, as the former Real Madrid manager turned up 30 minutes early, and left after less than five minutes.
27 August 2018 – Heavy Spurs defeat compounds a bad start
United endure their worst start to a new season for 26 years, losing two of their first three matches.
Mourinho suffers the biggest home defeat of his career against Tottenham, a 3-0 loss, on 27 August. The next day, Mourinho demands respect from journalists before walking out of a pre-match press conference.
He said: ‘What this means? [Holds three fingers up] 3-0 - but also means three Premier Leagues and I won more Premier Leagues alone than the other 19 managers together.’
A 3-0 defeat to Spurs means United suffer their worst start to a new season for 26 years
Mourinho tells reporters he deserves more respect, raising three fingers to symbolise the three titles he has won
14 September 2018 - Mourinho produces stats sheet to defend his use of Rashford
After Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher claimed Marcus Rashford would need to leave Manchester United to get more game-time, Mourinho arrived armed with a stats sheet to defend his use of the player.
Mourinho said: 'With me, in two seasons, he had 105 appearances, 5,744 minutes, 63.8 matches of 90 minutes, including five finals.
'So the people that is speaking about these minutes, I think they are a bit confused. Marcus Rashford is not Dominic Solanke, not Ruben Loftus-Cheek, not Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
'He is Marcus Rashford, Manchester United player, with an incredible number of appearances and an incredible number of minutes played at the highest level in the best possible competitions.'
The former Chelsea boss was criticised for not giving Marcus Rashford enough game-time
Mourinho produced a stats sheet supporting his use of the player at a press conference
22 September 2018 – Boring football for Pogba
United recover to win three matches on the spin but are dismally disappointing in a 1-1 draw at home to Wolves.
After the match, Paul Pogba tells reporters: ‘At home we should attack, attack, attack. That’s Old Trafford. We are here to attack. Teams are scared when they see Man United attacking and attacking. That was our mistake.’
When asked what is stopping United attacking more, Pogba said: ‘I can’t tell you because I’m a player. It’s not me.’
United recover but then suffer a disappointing home draw to Wolves
After the match Paul Pogba tells the media United should attack more at home
25 September 2018 – Pogba stripped of vice captaincy
The build-up to United’s League Cup tie with Derby is overshadowed by the news that Pogba has been stripped of the vice captaincy by Mourinho.
The £89million record signing is told by his furious boss that he will never captain the club again.
26 September 2018 – Mourinho confronts Pogba in training
United lose to Derby on penalties, with Mourinho saying after the game that he knew they were in trouble when Phil Jones stepped up to take a spot-kick.
The next day sees images of a frosty confrontation between Mourinho and Pogba on the training ground at Carrington broadcast across the world.
It transpires the discussion was about a flippant Instagram post put up by Pogba just after full-time at Old Trafford.
Pogba clashes with Mourinho about an Instagram post put up just after United lost to Derby
The pictures are broadcast around the world, coming after Pogba was stripped as Vice Captain
29 September 2018 – United suffer another defeat against West Ham
United trial a back-three and are comfortably defeated by West Ham, who had previously won just one of their opening six league matches.
Scott McTominay is shoe-horned into defence while a fully-fit Eric Bailly sits on the bench.
Mourinho criticised his players’ mentality: ‘I can have complaints with quality and mental approach. You have to try always and that is my nature as a football professional.’
United have now endured their worst start to a new season for 29 years.
Defeat at West Ham means United have suffered their worst start to a new season for 29 years
The defeat piles the pressure on Mourinho, who subbed off Pogba after an hour
6 October – The axe awaits?
United follow up their defeat at West Ham with a lukewarm draw at home to Valencia. The day before, it was reported that Mourinho will be sacked regardless of his side’s result against Newcastle.
After falling 2-0 behind inside the first 10 minutes at Old Trafford, United pull off a stunning comeback to win 3-2.
An animated Mourinho looks to have stayed execution for another day. The Portuguese manager derides the ‘wickedness’ in football and claims he has been subject to a ‘manhunt’.
United avert a calamitous home defeat to Newcastle with an emotionally charged comeback
Under-fire Alexis Sanchez nets the winner late on to quell reports that the sack is imminent
8 October – FA investigate swearing claims
Mourinho’s emotionally charged touchline display results in an FA investigation for allegedly swearing in Portuguese to a camera as he walked off at full-time after United’s victory. Mourinho was asked for his observations about the incident and cleared, although the FA appealed.
The FA say they will investigate comments made to a camera by Mourinho after the game
December 18 - The End
Mourinho lasted just 13 more games after that victory over Newcastle. He leaves the club 19 points off the top of the Premier League table after a 3-1 humbling at the hands of rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
Manchester United confirmed his departure in a statement on the morning of December 18, almost exactly three years to the day that Chelsea sacked him.
United said: 'Manchester United has announced that Jose Mourinho has left the Club. We would like to thank him for his work during his time at Manchester United and wish him success in the future.'
Mourinho arrived at Carrington at 9.02am on December 18 and was sacked at 9.46am
