Jose Mourinho ‘faces sack threat at Manchester United’ and the club’s hierarchy is considering Mauricio Pochettino to replace him.

Mourinho’s side is currently 12 points behind rivals and Premier League leaders Manchester City after their 3-1 derby defeat on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho will reportedly be sacked by Manchester United if he fails to guide the club into the top four.

The Portuguese watched his side suffer defeat against Manchester City on Sunday to halt United’s recent resurgence.

United are also seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham after a poor start to the season.

According to The Sun, the Old Trafford club will take action in the summer if they don’t reach Europe’s premier competition, the Uefa Champions League

United chiefs want Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to replace Mourinho but are aware that during the Argentinian to Manchester will prove difficult.

Pochettino recently signed a new deal with the North London club and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has proved himself a tough negotiator.

Real Madrid had also been interested in him but will appoint Santiago Solari on a permanent basis after an impressive spell in caretaker charge.

United fell to David Silva’s early goal which was added to by Sergio Aguero just minutes into the second half, Anthony Martial, however, reduced the deficit from the penalty spot to bring back memories of United’s famous comeback on the same ground in April.

But Mourinho’s men were unable to avoid defeat at the Etihad Stadium, as substitute Ilkay Gundogan wrapped up a 3-1 win with a fine finish.

The defeat meant United are as close to Cardiff in the relegation zone as league-leading City – a 12-point gap that was mentioned to Mourinho when asked whether their title hopes were over.

“I think we are not going to be relegated,” the United boss said abruptly, before offering a positive analysis of a game in which Martial’s penalty was their only shot on target and their goal difference went into negative figures.

“So, when I analyze the game today, I think the difference was, you can go for stats,” Mourinho said.

“That’s the way people that don’t understand football analyze football, is with stats.

“I don’t go for stats, I go for what I felt and I watch in the game and the game was there until minute 80-something.

“So, I consider the performance of my team a performance with mistakes. It’s different than a bad performance.

“One thing is a bad performance another thing is a performance with mistakes.

“We made mistakes, we were punished by these mistakes, but the performance, the mentality, the togetherness, the belief, the fight until the end was something that we are building and we are not going to lose that because of a defeat.”

Mourinho’s Manchester United host Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday 24th November after the international break.