Manchester United’s nine-day nightmare run of games that could make or break Jose Mourinho’s Old Trafford future

MANCHESTER UNITED face a nightmare run of four games in nine days that could make or break Jose Mourinho's reign at Old Trafford.

United take on Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and a Europa League clash with Fenerbahce in a daunting schedule next month that will go a long way towards shaping their season.

Mourinho takes his squad to Anfield to face Liverpool on Monday 17 October as he experiences his first taste of the intense rivalry between the two clubs.

United will then have to go straight into preparing for the visit of Fenerbahce three days later as the look to make up for losing 1-0 to Feyenoord in their opening group match last week.

The hectic week continues with the team having to travel to London to take on a Chelsea team who will be rested because they have no involvement in European football this season.

And the reward for United beating Northampton 3-1 in the EFL Cup is been a fourth round draw against local rivals Manchester City on Wednesday 26th October at Old Trafford.

It is a nightmare run of games, where United have the chance to make a major statement of intent against some of their biggest challengers.

But if things go badly, they could find themselves way off the pace in the Premier League, facing an uphill battle to make it through to the knock-out stages of the Europa League and knocked out of a cup by their local rivals City.

And that would increase the pressure on Mourinho who has already seen questioned ask of his methods and team selection on the back of three defeats in a week which saw them lose to City, Feyenoord and then Watford.