Manchester United have backed Jose Mourinho and insisted that no contact has been made with Zinedine Zidane over replacing him at Old Trafford.
Bookmakers have installed Mourinho as favourite to become the first Premier League boss to be sacked this season following his team's limp 3-2 defeat at Brighton.
It comes amid speculation in France that former Real Madrid coach Zidane, 46, is interested in succeeding Mourinho, three months after winning a hat-trick of Champions League titles and leaving the Bernabeu.
A senior Old Trafford source insisted that Mourinho still has the club's full backing and dismissed the Zidane reports by saying: 'Why would we discuss him when there is no job available?'
United are refusing to panic after just one defeat. However, Mourinho's position is coming under even more scrutiny after his team's capitulation at the Amex Stadium on Sunday when they conceded three goals before half-time.
United chief Ed Woodward sat stony-faced at the final whistle and visited the away dressing-room as usual after the game, although at the time he did not have a chance to speak to Mourinho who was fulfilling his media obligations.
The 55-year-old now faces a huge game at Old Trafford next Monday against a Tottenham side led by Mauricio Pochettino, another coach who has been linked with the United job in recent years.
Mourinho has not worked at any of his previous clubs much beyond the third season, and comparisons are being drawn with the final days of his second spell at Chelsea.
He was sacked in December 2015, seven months after winning his third Premier League title, following a difficult summer in the transfer market.
Mourinho has made no secret of the fact that he is unhappy with Woodward for not signing a new defender before the deadline after spending £75million on Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant.
Woodward was reluctant to pay over the odds for players like Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng and Yerry Mina, much to his manager's displeasure.
The Portuguese coach had already criticised United's tour of the US this summer and admitted that fans shouldn't waste their money on buying tickets to watch the exhibition games.
Having fined Anthony Martial for refusing to rejoin the tour following the birth of his second child in Paris, Mourinho's relationship with Paul Pogba has also become increasingly strained.
That negativity appears to have carried over into the new season after United's defeat at Brighton followed an unconvincing win over Leicester in their opening game.
Former United favourite Lee Sharpe on Monday predicted that Mourinho would be sacked by Christmas.
'He is the wrong man for the job,' said Sharpe. 'When he came to Chelsea the first time he was quite charming and fun, but now he just seems dour and fed up. He's moaned about not signing new players, and not bigging up the ones he's got.
'The football is not entertaining and what makes it twice as bad is that their two biggest rivals, Man City and Liverpool, do play exciting football.
'His negative style does not fit in with the expansive football that United fans want. I think he'll be gone before Christmas.'
Meanwhile Alexis Sanchez, who missed the Brighton game due to injury, deleted a video and photos posted on social media advertising his new fashion range after being criticised for the timing of his decision.
Ladciklmno
74
United completely don't have defenders you should leave Mourinho alone and go for players what's the amid of having money and not using it that's the problem Arsenal is facing you all pay for that art UP CITY
Nowdkmpty
66
Give Jose a chance. Don't sack him and don't waste money on signing a new manager. And for Jose, he must change his strategy of game play. He plays defensive too much whereas he needs to play moderate on the field. We #MUfc have great players in our squad. Take an example of Shaw how he came back strong and even scored a goal. It's all about race for the title and not about sprint.
Jepcimntuz
64
zindane can't build a team, he was successful because real was already build, brothers let's think twice before we go for zindane. let's look for well experience coach
Syz
57
Mourinho is a finished manager,why back him.He won't change his style of play that doesn't work anymore in EPL,he will drag man utd to the gutter.He doesn't know what to do anymore because there are better managers in epl and he knows he can't compete them.So he will try to get sack by creating problems and he will walk away with bags of money.everyone knows bus parking doesn't work anymore,so why keep him and hypnotise the fans,just sack him before it's too late,or man utd won't finish in top four.
taoelprsu
39
Zidane is not that good a manager. He inherited RM with full of talents. He didnt build anything there. Now that RM players are old, and desperately looking to buy talents from other teams after winning their 3rd Big Ears in a row, he decides to leave. Not a proven manager.
kuocpryz
35
What bleeding choice do they have....ha ha ha,great listening to jalf of the ushited fans saying sack jose and the other half blaming woodward,and its only the 2nd game!! Loving it!!!...Y.N.W.A.....☆☆☆☆☆.......
faslmnrsty
33
yes it's truly our display was really poor on Sunday but c'mon it's not enough reason for us to panic, with the full support of our MU board I strongly believe Jose can turn things around. let's not forget he's a serial winner.MU forever l😙😙😙😙😙
as_win10
33
I am a big Manchester United fan since I started watching football. So every lose disappoints me. The last match vs Brighton was very disappointing. We can't lose three points vs small teams. At last these three points will count a lot. Next match is against Tottenham Hotspur. They are a very strong team. So we should rectify all our mistakes and come back stronger with a big win. Manchester United is able to do that. Mourinho should be very friendly with the players. Players should also have good understanding between them. Jose Mourinho should use every player properly. Jesse Lingard or Rashford should play in the right wing. Mata can't play that position well. He can only play in midfield. There are lot of mistakes from coach and players. Mourinho told he is not at all confident that United can be in the top four. That means Mourinho is not at all confident of the team. If he can't do this job and is not confident he should resign. But I still think he can do this greatly. Hoping problems will be solved soon and will come back very stronger. GGMU