For the club's sake, Jose Mourinho must beat Watford today

Manchester United face Watford in the Premier League today [COURTESY]

Under-fire Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho desperately needs to win against Watford.

The Red Devils have not started the season with 100 per cent records like Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool or Maurizio Sari's Chelsea, losing twice and winning twice. 

Perhaps it's not the losses that have Mourinho constantly looking gloomy and fidgeting during press conferences but the manner in which they were incurred. 

On matchday two at the Amex Stadium, Mourinho set out with a team that kept shadowboxing in the final third, eventually losing 3-2 to a Brighton side relatively way below in terms of class and quality.

The 'special one' saw his worries double up on matchday four at Old Trafford as Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham put three past his team without reply. 

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho [Courtesy]

In both games, as any ball went past Man United's back four, one that has kept rotating for the last two seasons, it was impossible to miss the disappointment on Mourinho's face. He knew this was going to happen. 

During pre-season, reports of a rift between club CEO Ed Woodward and Mourinho surfaced. Mourinho apparently wasn't happy that the club could not manage to sign the players he desperately wanted.

Two centre-backs, one left-back, one midfielder and a right winger. These are the areas Mourinho thought he needed to work on if at all was to challenge for the Premier League title.

He did manage to get Brazilian Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk, a young Diogo Dalot from FC Porto and Stoke City goalkeeper Lee Grant. Not your typical "big names" in football right? 

Reports also surfaced that top players around Europe didn't want to play for Mourinho. Why? 

Are fans being treated to yet another Mourinho third season syndrome? [Courtesy]

Apparently his 'style of football' was not good enough to attract the likes of Real Madrid Croatian Midfielder Matteo Kovacic, who was one of the players who publicly revealed why he didn't want to move to Old Trafford. He went to Chelsea on loan instead.

Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld and Leicester City's Harry Maguire were also strongly linked with moves to Old Trafford but the negotiations hit a snag as their values went up after exemplary performances in the World Cup.

Following the Chronology of these occurrences, is it acceptable to conclude Mourinho has lost his mojo? 

Are English Premier League fans witnessing the Man United manager's third season syndrome unfold yet again? 

Could be. Or not. 

Despite all these rumours and reports more or less signalling Mourinho's imminent downfall, Ed Woodward has kept the faith. 

The club CEO was watching from the stands as Man United got dominated and lost but has backed Jose Mourinho to make it work with the squad he has at his disposal. 

Mourinho has also clarified that there's no tension between him and the club's owners. 

So what does he need to do get Man United back on track?

He needs to win on Saturday. He needs to convince the entire fanbase that his team can rough up teams in the Premier League.

Like he said during a press conference ahead of the Burnley game, Man United need 'to play well and win'.

Title-winning Premier League sides have always had a constant defensive setup. Jose needs to find a centre-back partnership that works well enough to pick up points even in the hardest of matches. 

He has Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo. He needs to drill a pair he trusts in training and have the same trust in them week in week out, mistake or no mistake. 

The Man United fanbase has longed to see fresh attacking football reminiscent of the Sir Alex Ferguson era and to achieve this, the team has to have a solid defence. 

Attack wins you games. Defence wins you titles. There are many poets in football, but poets don't win big titles. 

Watford welcome Man United to Vicarage Road on Saturday, September 15, 2018. The Hornets have lost 12 of their last 13 matches against Man United, the only victory coming in September 2016.

This is going to be an action-packed weekend no doubt. Check out Betin to find out the kind of odds your teams hold, and if you believe in your team, why not put your money where your mouth is? Let's go!