Jose Mourinho orders Manchester United players in for training at Old Trafford at 4.30pm on Christmas Day
Unpopular Jose insists staff must open up Old Trafford rather than the training ground for the session as Christmas is cancelled
MANCHESTER UNITED players are seeing red after boss Jose Mourinho scheduled a 4.30pm training session for CHRISTMAS DAY.
Training staff will also have to attend the session at Old Trafford as the Special One cracks the whip amid mediocre results.
Players and staff usually get to enjoy Christmas Day at home after a run-out at United’s Carrington training ground.
However this year, as United sit in 6th place in the Premier League table, Mourinho has called time on Turkey and mulled wine and will call the players to Old Trafford.
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All teams hold some kind of training ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures.
However in previous years former United boss Louis van Gaal has even given everyone, including players, the day off to be at home with their families.
Mourinho’s plans mean his players will almost certainly not be able to enjoy a Christmas Day tipple, as they would have done if the training session had been in the morning.
A source said: “Everyone is seriously p***** off. They’ve never heard anything like it – not even under Fergie.
“All the staff are used to coming in and sorting training out at Carrington but having it at Old Trafford adds a whole new level of organisation and brings more staff in.
“Jose’s had a face like thunder at the training ground for most of the season and is clearly not happy with results.
“Some staff will even have to stay later on to sort out the pitch and stadium for the next day’s home game.
“He’s effectively cancelled Christmas.”
Jose’s lack of festive cheer comes during a season where he has struggled to find his feet in Manchester and is living in a hotel alone.
The Portuguese has been staying at the luxurious Lowry Hotel while his wife Tami and children Matilde and Jose Jr are still living in London.
He has been considering buying a flat but has said his family are unlikely to join him up north, and it’s not known whether he is due to spend Christmas alone at his hotel.
Earlier this year we reported how Mourinho had a training ground bust-up with workmen and stole one of their shovels after they swiped his training ground cones.
Manchester United declined to comment.