Jose Mourinho: 'Mike Phelan deserves Hull City job'

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has praised the impact of Mike Phelan after he guided Hull City to back-to-back wins at the start of the new Premier League season.

Phelan was drafted into the position of caretaker manager after Steve Bruce resigned from the role, but despite the club's struggles in the transfer market, the former Old Trafford assistant has guided the Tigers to victories over both Leicester City and Swansea City.

Mourinho takes his United side to the KCOM Stadium this weekend and ahead of the game, he has said that Phelan should be appointed as manager of Hull on a permanent basis regardless of the result on Saturday evening.

The 53-year-old is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "I hope he gets the job, despite losing the match.

"I think the reality is he's one of the most successful assistant managers in the country, in the Premier League.

"Now he has this job and he has managed to motivate and organise the people. Are they defensive? Yes. But that's the way they have found to get points. I think he deserves the job."

Phelan was on United's backroom staff for 12 years before leaving the club soon after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.