MANCHESTER, DEC 29: December has been a disappointing month for Jose Mourinho, who needs Manchester United to beat Southampton at Old Trafford on Saturday in order to restore some optimism for the New Year.
Mourinho has seen United fall 15 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City in the Premier League title race, as well as suffer an embarrassing League Cup exit against Championship side Bristol City.
Successive 2-2 draws in the league, against Leicester City and Burnley, have only deepened the United manager's frustration.
Mourinho accused his players of "childish" decisions as they conceded a late equaliser at Leicester last Saturday, and was every bit as angry with the defending against Burnley on Boxing Day.
The quality of United's defending has become an increasing problem for Mourinho of late.
Having kept eight clean sheets in their opening 10 league matches, they have managed just two in the past 10.
Injuries to Eric Bailly and Phil Jones at various stages of the campaign have not helped in that respect, but with the Ivory Coast international set to be out for another couple of months as he recovers from ankle surgery, Mourinho has to find a solution at the back quickly.
Chris Smalling, another of United's central defenders, missed the Burnley game with a groin injury picked up at Leicester, and the manager still seems reluctant to use Victor Lindelof in that role in Premier League games. �AFP
