Manchester United players worried by Jose Mourinho’s grim mood after series of pre-season rants

SENIOR Manchester United stars are worried about Jose Mourinho’s grim mood ahead of the new season.

Players have been privately querying why the manager is so downcast, with a number feeling they are walking on eggshells around him.

There has been particular concern over Mourinho’s outburst about Anthony Martial not returning to the tour after the birth of his child.

A United player was so worried about one answer he gave in a TV interview — and how the manager might take it — that he hurriedly asked for it to be removed.

Mourinho is angry at a failure to bring in two more signings with just ten days to go until their opening game of the campaign against Leicester.

He is also frustrated at a lack of bodies on the pre-season tour of America.

There was a point where Mourinho was without 17 senior stars.

He has even called on those who were involved in the latter stages of the World Cup to cut short their holidays and return to training early to be ready for the new season.

Mourinho also caused eyebrows to be raised out here after United’s 4-1 thumping at the hands of Liverpool in Michigan when he said he would not have paid to watch the game.

That was United’s fourth clash of the tour after drawing the other three — though they did win the encounter with AC Milan on penalties.

It is all an unsatisfactory backdrop ahead of the new season when United will be expecting to challenge for the title.

Mourinho guided the club to the League Cup and Europa League in his first season.

But although they finished second last term, the Red Devils were 19 points behind their deadly local rivals City.

United’s final tour game is today in Miami against Real Madrid.