Manchester United need to do what Jose Mourinho did

Timing is everything and the day after Manchester United folded up the Champions League banner it was the fourth anniversary of Jose Mourinho's 'football heritage' press conference.

Mourinho is more masterful at diversions than road works and in 2018 United had just lost to Sevilla at Old Trafford, a scandalous result against the most beatable team in the last 16. Some supporters started to turn against Mourinho, especially after he reminded them he had been responsible for two of their ejections at the same stage in the past.

"I sit in this chair with Porto, Man United out," Mourinho said in the press conference room at Old Trafford. "I sit in this chair with Real Madrid, Man United out. So it's not something new for the club." They should have charged admission for his box office press conferences.

READ MORE: The six things United need to fix this summer

At Carrington three days later, Mourinho outlined United's dismal European record since they last reached the Champions League final in 2011. His sermon has aged like Portuguese wine. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer actually achieved quarter-final, semi-final and final appearances with United but the latter two were in the Europa League and the disasterclass in Leipzig is just as memorable.

United have won two of their last 14 Champions League knockout matches. "Tottenham won more in the season they got to the final," a colleague quipped in the same press room Mourinho used to hold court in.

The European rot began with the schooling by Barcelona in the 2009 final in Rome. United's tactical naivety and game-management cost them against Bayern Munich in 2010 and in 2011 they overachieved by reaching the final, where they were in need of smelling salts after 90 minutes on the