Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea home contemplating putting Manchester United's focus solely on Europe

Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea home contemplating putting Manchester United's focus solely on Europe

After two draws in successive home matches, Jose Mourinho increasingly looks set to prioritise the Europa League in Manchester United’s bid to return to the Champions League

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Following the goalless draw with West Brom at the weekend, United needed an injury-time Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty to salvage a share of the spoils against Everton on Tuesday evening.

Again an exasperated Mourinho was highly-critical of his sides attack and an inability to make the most of their chances after a 12th draw of the campaign - nine of which have been at Old Trafford.

“We've had lots of unlucky decisions by referees," said the United boss. "We've had lost of amazing performances from opposing goalkeepers.

“We've had lots of ultra-defensive teams coming here, but we need to score goals. We have chances and we need to score goals.”Mourinho was back in London on Wednesday morning, having returned to his family home in Chelsea for a day off - ahead of a spell which will see United play seven games in 21 days, starting with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

United, who have won the Community Shield and League Cup already this season, are desperate to qualify for next year’s Champions League. Still they have two manners of entry: finishing in the top four, or winning the Europa League.

Last week, betting exchanges ranked their chances of doing either as identical. But failures in successive home matches have left United four points off the top four, making European success in UEFA’s secondary competition more likely.United now stand a lowest price 4-1 to finish as one of the Premier League’s top four sides.

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 The highest price available on them winning the Europa League is 7-5.Mourinho is set to watch fourth-placed Manchester City visit his former stomping ground at Stamford Bridge tonight. Should Pep Guardiola’s men lose, United will be four points behind with a game in hand, strengthening their top four chances.