Jose Mourinho branded the fixture schedule “absolute nonsense” after Manchester United cruised into the last 16 of the FA Cup.
Goals from Marouane Fellaini, Chris Smalling, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Bastian Schweinsteiger - making his first start for 385 days - took United into the next round.
But Mourinho was in no mood to celebrate and turned his ire on the gruelling fixture schedule he claimed had left United facing a “crazy situation”.
United, who are fighting on four fronts, could end up playing 67 games by the end of the season, with Mourinho angered at the fixture pile-up that awaits him and his players.
“In the League Cup we have a 50 per cent chance of winning,” said Mourinho. “In the FA Cup, we are in the last 16. In the Europa League we're in the last 32, so lots of matches to play.
“I can imagine we're going to have some nice gifts, like Watford today, they had an amazing gift. They played today in the FA Cup and they play on Tuesday in the Premier League. It's a laugh.
“So many matches played yesterday, how is it possible a team plays today and plays Tuesday again? It's an absolute nonsense. This is not just for Watford. I know many of those surprises will be waiting for us.
“Compare it with other clubs. Liverpool will play 16 matches, Chelsea will play 16, plus some in the FA Cup, and we're in this really crazy situation.
“Southampton will have 15 days without football before the EFL Cup final.
“We're going to play two matches against St Etienne and the next round of the FA Cup, so the calendar in the best country in world football is nonsense.”
Mourinho was evasive when asked if skipper Wayne Rooney would be allowed to leave for China, whose transfer window does not close until February 28.
Rooney has been linked with a £140million move to the lucrative Chinese Super League, but Mourinho sidestepped the question of his captain's future when quizzed about it.
“The only player that I'm aware of who has the possibility to leave - and I am waiting for January 31 to know what is going on - is Ashley Young,” said Mourinho.
“He's a player I would love to keep. I'm not happy if he leaves, that is why he didn’t play today, because I don’t know if he's going to stay.”
On the field it was a routine win for United over their struggling Championship opponents, managed by United's former reserve team boss Warren Joyce.
Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring just before half-time with a header, with defender Chris Smalling adding a second just before the hour mark.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan started and finished a superb breakaway goal for United's third, while it was fitting Schweinsteiger, exiled for much of the season by Mourinho, claimed the fourth.
Schweinsteiger looked to be on his way this month but with United facing so many games between now and the end of the season, Mourinho admitted he could play a key role.
“He's staying,” said Mourinho. “He's in the Europa League squad because we opened spaces with Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin, and because we don’t have many players and we don’t have many options in midfield.
“Ninety minutes was probably too hard for him, but I think he's happy and he was a good professional when he wasn't playing. With so many competitions and games, he will be an option.”