· Hands him third defeat in one week · As Man Utd loses 3-1
WATFORD FC of England on Sunday compounded Jose Mourinho’s woes as he was handed his third defeat in one week as Manchester United manager after his team suffered a 3-1 defeat away to Watford.
Late goals from Juan Zuniga and Troy Deeney gave Watford a deserved Premier League win.
The hosts led when Etienne Capoue converted Daryl Janmaat’s cut-back, only for Marcus Rashford to level scores from close range.
Zuniga powered in with seven minutes to go, 53 seconds after coming on.
And Deeney then scored a penalty in injury time after Marouane Fellaini fouled Zuniga in the box.
Following a derby defeat by Manchester City last weekend and the midweek Europa League loss to Feyenoord, Mourinho and United have had a rough eight days.
It is the first time Mourinho has lost three consecutive games in a season since February 2002, when he was Porto boss.
But the self-proclaimed “Special One”, who has won eight league titles across Europe and the Champions League twice, has now lost 11 of his past 21 Premier League games in charge of Chelsea and Manchester United.
Mourinho made five changes to his starting line-up from the trip to the Netherlands, with Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic restored to the side, but United were disorganised and ineffective, particularly in the first half.
The United boss looked unhappy with the home side’s opening goal, feeling Anthony Martial was fouled by Miguel Britos, but he will surely need to look more closely at his own side’s failings as they drifted six points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Hornets boss Walter Mazzarri, who managed Zuniga at Napoli, leapt for joy when the midfielder applied the finish to Roberto Pereya’s cut-back with his first touch.
Mazzarri had numerous run-ins with Mourinho during their time in Italy – with former Inter manager Mourinho saying the Italian was a hard-working “donkey” that would “never become a thoroughbred”.