Manchester United missed out on the chance to top their Champions League group on another horrendous evening for Mourinho and his team.
The Red Devils went into the match on the back of a much-needed 4-1 thumping of Fulham. As a result, many were expecting them to brush Valencia aside.
But, the weekend aside, gone are the days where Manchester United turn it on. Wednesday night’s showing against Valencia was drab, dire and diabolical to watch.
And Jose Mourinho has now criticised his side for their failure to beat Valencia and secure an easier last-16 clash in the Champions League knockout stages.
“I think we were too passive in the first half,” he said.
“We were quite comfortable with the ball but not in intensity and ambition.
“In the second half I was pretty sure that after speaking at half time things could be different but we started with an own goal that gave Valencia a better position to control the game.
“I made the two changes later and the team improved immediately, we started playing faster, arriving with link play in more dangerous positions, and we probably should get to 2-2 because we had a couple of good chances to equalise.
“But we started the first half playing too comfortable and not with enough intensity.”
One United player who toiled was defender Phil Jones.
Jones scored an own-goal after Carlos Soler’s strike, with United then failing to mount a sufficient enough comeback.
And former United star Darren Fletcher believes they need a new centre-half if things are to improve.
“There is no doubt that some of these Manchester United defenders are capable but they need that figurehead, that leader who could guide them,” he said.
“A top class centre-half like Virgil van Dijk has accelerated the progress of players at Liverpool.
“When he’s not there they look questionable and that’s the difference that one top centre half can have.”
United are next in action against Liverpool on Sunday.
The Red Devils drew 0-0 with their fierce rivals in the same fixture last season.
