Hull City v Manchester United: Jose Mourinho hopes Mike Phelan loses to United '“ then gets Tigers job

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has given the thumbs-up to Mike Phelan getting the Hull City manager's job (Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire).

But manager Jose Mourinho is well aware of the challenge facing them against a newly-promoted Tigers side who have caused a major surprise by also taking maximum points from their first two games – including against champions Leicester – despite having a threadbare squad and no permanent manager. Ex-United player assistant boss Mike Phelan is the man currently in charge, and Mourinho feels he deserves to be given the job full-time.

“I hope he gets the job (despite) losing the match,” Mourinho said.

“I think it’s not intelligent to make a decision about a manager because he wins or loses a match.

“I think the reality is he’s one of the most successful assistant managers in the country, in the Premier League.

“Now he has this job and he has managed to motivate and organise the people. Are they defensive? Yes. But that’s the way they have found to get points. I think he deserves the job.”

Meanwhile, Mourinho has had a dig back at Karl-Heinz Rummenigge following the Bayern Munich chairman’s criticism of how he has handled Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has been frozen out of the first-team picture at United this term.

Earlier this week the 32-year-old former Germany midfielder said he would not be joining another club in Europe and added of his current employers: “I will be ready, if the team needs me.”

But when asked yesterday if there was any chance Schweinsteiger could play for United at all this term, Mourinho said: “I think it’s very difficult to happen.

“I’m not saying it’s impossible. I’m saying it’s very difficult.

After reports emerged of ex-Bayern man Schweinsteiger being made to train with United’s reserves by his new manager Mourinho, Rummenigge was quoted earlier this month as saying he could “hardly believe” such treatment, labelling it “a lack of respect for a worthy player”.

Mourinho said: “I thought after I read some quotes from people at Bayern Munich that they would run to Manchester to bring him (Schweinsteiger) back, but no, that did not happen.”