Jose Mourinho Certainly Isn't Alone When it Comes to Man Utd Starting a Season Badly

Published on: 28 November 2016

Manchester United fell even further off the pace in the Premier League title race on Sunday evening when they could only manage a 1-1 draw against West Ham at Old Trafford - a fourth successive home draw for the first time since 1980.

Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed 'Special One', has so far failed to find the answers since arriving in summer. He has a team full of talented stars but consistency is proving near impossible to come across, while there appears to be a lack of killer instinct.

All the pieces seem to be in place, which is what makes all the more frustrating for fans expecting more.

Now more than a third of way through 2016/17, is this the worst start to a season in recent memory? Many supporters and the bloodthirsty mainstream media certainly seem to think so, and in terms of points on the board that view is the correct one.

United's tally of 20 points is the lowest the club has accrued from 13 games since the Premier League era began in 1992. Different Sir Alex Ferguson's teams had as many as 14 points more than that with 34 at the same stage of the 1993/94 and 2006/07 campaigns, while United sides have had 28 or more points after 13 games in 11 of the last 24 seasons.

But equally, United sides have also managed 22 or fewer points from the first 13 games on six occasions prior to this season, and three of those campaign actually ended with titles (1992/92, 1996/97, 2002/03). What's also interesting is that United have only been leading the league at this stage of the season five times, and never in consecutive years.

Mourinho would argue that bad luck and poor refereeing in the clashes with Stoke, Burnley, Arsenal and now West Ham cost United eight points that could have made this one of the very best starts the clubhas had.

The fact remains that United have never had this few points at this stage of a Premier League season before.However, what 2016/17 has not produced is the worst league position after 13 games.Mourinho's United lie in sixth place, but that is no worse than Ferguson-led teams from 1996/97, a title winning season, and 2001/02. United were actually 7th at this stage of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93, another title winning year, and in 2004/05.

David Moyes in his sole season in charge may have had two more points than Mourinho does now, but his team sat 8th after 13 games.

Mourinho's start hasn't been good. But it's not poor in isolation. The 'things have never been this bad' sentiment is misplaced and that is important to remember.