Jose Mourinho Has Been 'Unlucky' at Manchester United, Says Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United’s legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the job being done at Old Trafford by current boss Jose Mourinho, suggesting the team have been "unlucky" during his tenure. 

The Red Devils sit in fifth place in the Premier League table and have won the EFL Cup already under the Portuguese. Ferguson, who enjoyed 27 memorable years in charge of United, believes that with a bit more fortune the season could have been even better for Mourinho’s men.

"I get on well with Jose and think he’s doing a really good job," he told Sirius XM FC (h/t James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph). "He’s been a bit unlucky actually because there are home games this season they’ve been absolutely brilliant in but have drawn them. If they’d got those wins they deserved they’d be challenging for the league, there’s no doubt about that."

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As things stand, United are 17 points back on runaway leaders Chelsea, with their main domestic aim now to finish in the Premier League’s top four. They have a decent chance of doing so, too, as they’re just four points back on Liverpool, who occupy fourth spot, having played two games less than the Merseyside outfit.

United are slowly beginning to take shape under Mourinho. In the top flight they’ve not been beaten in 18 matches and while performances have lacked fluency at times, the team has shown tremendous determination to battle through matches.

Yet supporters will lament the amount of draws on the record this season. Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, the team have been profligate against modest opposition:

Those ties will be lamented even more should United fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. But with the Red Devils still involved in the UEFA Europa League, there are two avenues open into Europe’s elite club competition for 2017-18.

Ferguson hinted in the same interview that he’d like to see United prioritise the Europa League over a top-four finish.

"They could do it [finish fourth], but I look on the Europa League as a great chance," said the 75-year-old. "First of all, the club has never won the Europa League. It adds to the CV, so I think we’ve got a good opportunity."

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The Red Devils do have a good opportunity, as they’ve made it into the last eight of the competition, where they will face Anderlecht. While it’s not an easy tie, drawing the Belgian outfit was one of the more favourable draws, per James Ducker of the Telegraph:

It’s difficult to determine where to draw the line between unlucky finishing and poor finishing, although thinking back over the matches United have drawn at home this season, you’d say they’ve suffered with both at times. However, it’s clear they remain very much a work in progress under Mourinho.

Indeed, the Portuguese will be content with the chances being created by his team in front of the Old Trafford crowd, especially given the Red Devils were so ponderous in their attacking play under his predecessor. Another trophy win, qualification for the Champions League and some smart summer recruitment can be crucial steps in remedying this problem.