Man Utd: Why is Jose Mourinho so angry with the media?

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho betrayed the pressure and irritation eating away at him in the final seconds of a passionate news conference at Old Trafford following the 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham.

Mourinho had gone on the front foot to defend his side's performance, telling the assembled media they had to decide what was most important, brilliant football, or results.

He had accurately pointed out that last season in particular, he had been castigated for supposed negative football, even when United had won.

Mourinho was forceful. He argued well. United were outstanding in the first half. They pressed, they played quickly, they created chances. They should have been in front.

The crack appeared when, in response to telling his inquisitors how the United supporters had stayed behind his team, even as they slid to the biggest home defeat he has suffered as a manager, he strayed away from his theme.

Raising three fingers, he said: "Do you know what this means? Yes, it means 3-0, but it also means three Premier Leagues - and I won more Premier Leagues alone than the other 19 managers put together. Three for me. Two for them."

And as he got up to leave. "Respect! Respect! Respect man!"

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It is beyond argument that Mourinho is in a tough place right now.

Two defeats in three games is as bad a start as United have made to a season since 1992-93.

They have not been beaten as badly at home in a league game by Tottenham since 1972.

He knows the pressure is on.

Mourinho, in all probability, understands all that and accepts it as part of the job.

What has eaten away at him, and continues to do so, is that his record fails to insulate him from the kind of criticism he thinks others - who have not achieved anything like as much as him - seem to escape.

United finished runners-up to Manchester City last season, and before the season's opening game against Leicester, Mourinho questioned why Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino receive what he feels to be an easy ride despite their failure to win a trophy.

He said: "It is difficult for me to believe we finished second when I listen, when I read, because you are capable of making people that finish second look like they were relegated and people who win nothing, finish below us, and you make them look like serial winners."

It is the same kind of attitude that, much earlier in his career, saw Mourinho label Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger "a specialist in failure".

Mourinho regards himself as a winner. Even at United he has won silverware, securing the Europa League and EFL Cup in his first season.

He thinks those trophies, along with his successes at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, should buy him time - and respect.

Why don't they? Put simply, Mourinho does not help himself with his surly outward demeanour.

Neither Pochettino nor Klopp have arrived half an hour early for news conferences, then delivered curt responses to any question asked before exiting less than 10 minutes later, as Mourinho did on Friday.

Both Pochettino and Klopp have engaged with their own club's fans in a way Mourinho, who still lives in a hotel in Manchester city centre, has not.

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This is nothing new for United. During Sir Alex Ferguson's era, there was a belief that Wenger escaped media criticism because he was seen as being sophisticated and intelligent, in contrast to the Scot's Glaswegian-streetfighter reputation.

Ferguson's intellect is huge. His sense of humour legendary. But in front of the media he was aggressive, and the reputation stuck, deserved or not.

Behind the scenes at Old Trafford, Mourinho is said to be amusing - at least before this tortuous summer began - but the more he scowls in front of the cameras, the greater the disparity with Klopp and Pochettino.

Following the summer exits of Wenger and Chelsea's Antonio Conte, Mourinho was right when he said the score on Premier League titles is three to him, two to the rest.

But unless he finds an answer soon, that lead will evaporate.

Manuel Pellegrini is unlikely to add to his championship at West Ham this season. But Pep Guardiola well could at Manchester City.

And, on the evidence of the past three weeks, Klopp and Pochettino have a decent chance of lifting the trophy as well.

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