Gary Neville wants Jose Mourinho to remain in charge of Manchester United until at least 2020

MANCHESTER UNITED must hold Jose Mourinho to his 2020 contract despite their shocking start to the season.

Ex-Old Trafford captain Gary Neville insists the club must back the Portuguese manager despite losing two of their opening three games.

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Mourinho is apparently at loggerheads with star players like Paul Pogba and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward over transfers.

But the Sky Sports pundit is adamant the club cannot keep axing managers and changing systems if they are ever to get back to the Sir Alex Ferguson glory days.

He told Monday Night Football: "We saw Louis van Gaal sacked after an FA Cup final victory, we saw David Moyes sacked with four games to go of a season, so we are no longer talking about a football club that is behaving as it has historically done.

"I accept these are different times and I accept the difficulties and challenges, but my honest view as I stand here now is that Ed Woodward gave him a contract [until 2020] last season, only seven or eight months ago, and he should see that contract through to the end and do the job.

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Mourinho is accused of collapsing in the third season of his two stays at Chelsea and Real Madrid when his siege mentality grows tiresome.

But Neville wants United to grin and bear the storm, in the belief that success will follow.

He said: "You can't keep jumping around with managers.

"I hear the third-year Mourinho stories and all the rest of it and you can't disagree with those stories because there is some history.

"But what I would say is it's time now for Manchester United to batten down the hatches and for Jose Mourinho and Ed Woodward to sort themselves out if there is a problem there.

"Get the team right for the rest of the season because the club is bigger than any individual.

"They have to get themselves sorted because it's not a time for in-fighting and politics."