Mourinho calls on players to 'act like men'

Manchester United players must "behave like men" in the wake of their humiliating 4-0 Premier League hammering by Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho said on Monday.

The Portuguese coach - who sat helplessly as he endured his worst defeat in the Premier League against the club that fired him last season - wants an immediate reaction against city rivals Manchester City in Wednesday's League Cup clash.

"We are really, really sad, but again this is not for kids, this is for men. We have to act like men and be men and work for the next one," the 53-year-old told the club's MUTV television outlet.

Mourinho, whose side has won just once in six Premier League games, said he was sanguine about United's recent results and took solace from the fact the teams ahead of his would drop points when they play each other.

United trails the trio of table-toppers Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool by six points.

However, its haul of 14 points after nine matches is United's second worst in the club's Premier League history - the team in 2014-15 garnering just 13.

"I would prefer to play (next) in the Premier League," said Mourinho.

"It's a bad feeling in the Premier League. With the combination of results the gap to the top is six points.

"We have had a very difficult period of matches.

"We lost points this week and, even in the match when we played phenomenal against Stoke, we lost points. Now we need to win matches.

"I am not saying they are easy ones, but we have Burnley, we have Swansea, West Ham, Sunderland, Middlesbrough - matches that we need to win and the top four, the top five, they have to play between themselves like we did this week against Chelsea and Liverpool.

"They are going to lose points too, so we are in the running, but there is no way to hide because I think our faces speak for themselves."

Advantage

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany believes bitter rival United has handed his team an advantage by playing down Wednesday's League Cup local derby.

The injury-plagued Belgium international defender started a game for the first time since April in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Southampton and came through unscathed as City gained a point that put it atop the standings on goal difference.

Now Kompany hopes to retain his place for the EFL Cup fourth-round tie, especially as United manager Mourinho has described the competition as being fourth on his club's list of priorities.

"It's just physically impossible for me to play down a derby," said Kompany, 30.

"But the more they say this is the fourth competition, the better it is for us.

"Am I looking forward to Wednesday? Come on, always. The bigger the game, the better.

"That's how I've always approached it in my career and I will for the rest of my career. Those kinds of games are what you play for through your whole career."

City holds the League Cup after beating Liverpool on penalties in a Wembley final in February, but it makes the journey across Manchester on a run of five league and cup games without victory.

"It's hard to come back, obviously, but I know what I have to do to be back at my level," said Kompany. "I'm ready for the challenge."