Jose Mourinho took the short journey from Manchester to Liverpool on a wave of optimism. His Manchester United side was one win away from their best start to a top-flight season since before the Sir Alex Ferguson days and in Romelu Lukaku they possessed one of Europe's most in-form strikers.However, the trip to Anfield represented United's first real test against one of the so-called "top six" and the build-up to the massive encounter was understandably electric. Many hoped that Jose would set up to blow a vulnerable Liverpool away, taking all three points from a ground where the Portuguese manager is not well liked but it was not to be.Sadly, Jose has a reputation for turning some of English footballs most hotly anticipated games into non-events and Saturday's clash at Anfield proved to be no different.Mourinho reverted to type, and seems the optimism he rode into Liverpool on had a very specific shape to it - that of a bus, which he duly parked, sending his team out with one purpose and one purpose only - not to concede.United managed just one shot on goal as Lukaku cut a lonely and frustrated figure with the lack of service leaving him stranded high and dry at the front.David De Gea's magnificent save from Joel Matip's close-range prod was the most exciting bit of action in a match that failed to live up to its billing spectacularly.We all know that Mourinho's hates losing, but sometimes its hard to tell whether or not he likes winning either.A quite remarkable stat started doing the rounds on Twitter in the aftermath of the Anfield clash revealing just how unambitious Jose is when he travels to one of his top six rivals.

Mourinho's side's have managed just the one goal in their last six away trips to top six sides, a run that includes three goalless draws, showing exactly why Mourinho's tactics on Saturday were no surprise to anyone. 

It really was disappointing to see Mourinho set up so defensively having seen what his team is capable of going forward. A match that could have been the game of the season was suffocated and never caught fire the way such a fixture should but for Jose, that was job done.