Jose Mourinho 'wants to manage Manchester United for a second time'

Jose Mourinho would reportedly love to manage Manchester United for a second time and has told confidants he would willingly 'walk' to Old Trafford to do so.

The Portuguese, 61, was in charge of United between the summer of 2016 and December 2018, winning the EFL Cup and the Europa League in his first season before an acrimonious departure.

Mourinho is a friend of United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and, according to the Manchester Evening News, would gladly accept the opportunity to return.

However, the club doesn't want to reappoint Mourinho, who isn't expecting an approach anytime soon. Mourinho left Roma - his second job post-United - back in January.

It comes as Erik ten Hag's future as United boss comes under even greater scrutiny following Monday night's abysmal 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.

United's 13th league defeat of the season - a record in the post-1992 era - left them eighth in the Premier League table, with European football next season not guaranteed.

Ten Hag can still deliver the FA Cup, with United set to meet Manchester City at Wembley on May 25, but it may not be enough to save his job as Ratcliffe and Ineos consider his future.

United have assessed potential replacements for Ten Hag, who won the Carabao Cup and guided the team back into the Champions League last season before slipping backwards.

Mourinho succeeded another Dutchman, Louis van Gaal, just after he'd won United the FA Cup in 2016.

On Monday night, Ten Hag compared the lack of fight in his team to the spirit shown by their supporters as he branded the woeful performance 'not good enough by far'.

'It's clear and obvious this is under-performing. We should have kept fighting like the fans did,' said the United boss.

'It was not correct, making big