Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: I'm not the only one to blame

[Hogg]

Jose Mourinho has said he is not the only one to blame for Manchester United's poor start to the season.

United face Newcastle at Old Trafford on Saturday having won only four of their first 10 games in all competitions.

They have not won any of their last four matches, have not won at home since the opening weekend of the season and are closer in the table to bottom side Huddersfield than to leaders Manchester City.

Mourinho has borne the brunt of the criticism that has come United's way but the coach told his news conference on Friday that was unfair.

"Sometimes things are not just in the manager's hands," he said.

Mourinho refused to name names when pushed on who else was at fault for United's form but did say: "The same people that were to blame with the fantastic season of last season."

It comes after a week in which Mourinho said some players "care more than others" in the build-up to the goalless Champions League draw with Valencia.

The manager used his programme notes before the game on Tuesday to say "the team is always more important than the individual" and "the crest on the chest is more important than the name on the back of the shirt."

United finished second in the league last season and reached the FA Cup final, but despite finishing 19 points behind champions City and losing to Chelsea at Wembley Mourinho believes they over-performed.

"Success has a direct relation with your own potential and a direct relation with the potential if your opponents," he said.

"The last season was phenomenal exactly because of these two factors -- our potential and the potential of our opponents.

"I think opponents with much more potential than us finished behind us. That is the reason why it was a phenomenal season."

But Mourinho admitted that United's current form was unacceptable, with anything other than a victory on Saturday leaving them without a win in five consecutive home games for the first time since 1990.

"I think we have enough potential to do better than what we are doing in the Premier League," he said.

"We are better than this and, because we are better than this, our situation is going to improve. I have no doubts about that."

Mourinho will again be without Jesse Lingard, Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo, but Ashley Young could return after missing the draw with Valencia.