Jose Mourinho has made a good start to the season (Picture: Getty)

Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United career is being troubled by the ghost of Sir Alex Ferguson and the success of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, according to Gary Neville.

The United boss silenced his critics when his side edged a 1-0 win against Tottenham and Mourinho sparked headlines by shushing his haters at full-time on Saturday.

Mourinho’s gesture to the cameras was beamed out across the world and Neville thinks the Portuguese was speaking directly to those who criticized his style of football.

‘Keep your mouths shut, do one everybody,’ Neville said on Sky Sports about what the gesture meant.

Sir Alex Ferguson is a regular in the stands before the match (Picture: Reuters/Carl Recine)
(Picture: EPA)

‘I know what I’m doing, I’m a winner… The two issues he’s got at the moment, not issues for him but for other people, is one, history.

‘Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson have shown how the club should always play. Attacking football, entertaining football.

‘And also what Pep Guardiola is doing at Manchester City and the style that they’re winning with. So that’s caused him a bit of a problem, perception wise.

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola (Picture: Getty)
City are top of the Premier League table (Picture: Getty)

‘And he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t think he’s getting the respect he deserves.’

He added: ‘He does deserve more respect, but his two problems are emotional.

‘Manchester United’s history and Pep Guardiola’s football.’

Manchester United 2018/19 Fixtures

Fulham (A) - Feb 9
PSG (H) - Feb 12
Chelsea (A) - Feb 18
Liverpool (H) - Feb 24
Crystal Palace (A) - Feb 27
Southampton (H) - Mar 2

(Picture: Getty)

Guardiola has his City side playing some wonderful football, scoring heaps of goals and sitting five points clear the top of the Premier League table.

United made sure the gap stayed at five points by beating title rivals Tottenham and Neville worries Mourinho will always be compared to the football Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby instilled at the club.

The Red Devils have not challenged for the title since Ferguson retired in 2013.

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