Mourinho’s struggling Red Devils hosted Newcastle on Saturday night, looking to avoid a fifth match without victory at home for the first time in 29 years.
Mourinho’s job is on the line, with United languishing in 10th place in the Premier League and looking for their first home win since the opening day of the season on August 10.
Newcastle have their own problems – supporters want controversial owner Mike Ashley to sell up – but they still found time to stick the boot in on Mourinho.
With just a minute on the clock Geordie fans chanted ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ in a chant that roared around the ground for minutes.
Mourinho admitted on Friday that United’s slump is unacceptable – but he absolved himself of total blame.
“Sometimes things are not just in the manager’s hands,” said Mourinho, in a pointed reference to his under-performing players and United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward for failing to land all of his transfer targets in the summer.
“But we have enough potential to do better than we are doing in the Premier League.
“We are better than this and, because we are better than this, our situation is going to improve. I have no doubts about that.”
Asked who was to blame for United’s malaise, Mourinho said: “The same people who were to blame for the fantastic season of last season.
“This team can do much better than it is doing. And this team will do much better than it is doing.
“We can win against Newcastle but it’s a difficult match. We can win, we want to win. The commitment is there that the team showed against a difficult opponent like Valencia. If we do that against Newcastle we’re probably a bit luckier and we win.
“We have possibilities to win the match but I refuse to say we have three points in the pocket.
“I have to respect the opponent, I have to respect the manager with a history of trophies and a history of know-how. That is the way I was brought into life and football – to respect.”