Man Utd News: Mourinho is getting stick for Liverpool game but I disagree - Pardew

Manchester United failed to fire as they slumped to a disappointing draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

Going into the game, many expected the Red Devils to rip apart their fierce rivals given the two teams’ contrasting starts to the new campaign.

However, Liverpool were the better side and, had it not been for the heroics of David De Gea, would have picked up all three points.

But Pardew disagrees with the criticism Jose Mourinho is receiving and has defended the 54-year-old for his decision to use negative tactics at Anfield.

“Jose Mourinho is getting a bit of stick for parking the bus at Anfield but I disagree,” he told the Daily Mail.

“To win the Premier League title, you have to beat the top teams, or at least finish near the top of that mini-league against the rest of the 'big six'. 

“But it's a long, hard season and Saturday's draw at Anfield will be a good point at the end of the campaign. 

“Manchester City are in scary form, taking teams apart, but can they keep it up until May?”

United defender Phil Jones also thinks the Red Devils were right to put their foot on the brakes at the weekend.

“Let them (criticise) – we’ll see where we are at the end of the season,” he said. 

“We respect our opponents. They are a good team at home with the crowd who get behind their side.

“We would have liked to have got three points - but Anfield is a difficult place to come and if you can’t win the game you’ve got to make sure you can’t lose it.”

United are next in action against Benfica on Wednesday night in the Champions League (7.45pm).