Jose Mourinho will NOT be to blame if Manchester United don't win the Premier League this season.
Instead, it will be the quality of the Red Devils' squad that costs them a 21st championship, according to Mourinho's former Chelsea charge Frank Lampard.
Lampard won the title twice under Mourinho during the Portuguese's first spell at Stamford Bridge and knows more than most what it takes to lift the trophy come May.
United fell eight points behind rivals Manchester City at the weekend, having suffered defeat against Mourinho's former club.
Mourinho's style and results against top six rivals have come under scrutiny, seeing him criticised.
But Lampard says it will be down to the quality at his disposal if they don't end the season on top.
"Mourinho is a manager that likes to win and he has a way of winning. It's different to Pep Guardiola, different to Antonio Conte and that's his way," he told Omnisport.
"If Manchester United don't win the Premier League, for me it's the quality of the players.
"Manchester City have a very strong squad this year, Chelsea still have a very strong squad and I think particularly the first XI, if everybody's fit, Chelsea are very strong. When I look at Manchester United, they're there around that area, but maybe the other teams can be stronger.
"I certainly don't think it'll be the manager, and I actually do think that Manchester United will be competitive towards the end of the season, so we'll see."