Manchester United could end this season finishing second in the Premier League - with a total of 83 points - and winning the FA Cup.On paper, that is a pretty decent season.But on the pitch, it’s been awful at times for United.And their performance against Brighton on Friday night was nothing short of atrocious.Mourinho’s side lost 1-0 at the Amex Stadium, a result which saw Brighton guarantee their survival.But the result also meant that the Red Devils have now lost to all three sides that were promoted to the Premier League last season - and this performance might have been the worst of the lot.United weren’t helped by the fact both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez missed out through injury. But it gave Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford the chance to impress.

MOURINHO DIDN'T DEFEND HIS PLAYERS

But it’s fair to say they did very little to convince Mourinho they deserve to start in the FA Cup final in two weeks times.

And Mourinho was in no mood to defend his players in his Sky Sports interview after the match.

Rashford and Martial, look away now.

“I wouldn’t say disappointed,” Mourinho said when asked about his side's performance.

“I thought for some of them the possibility to start the game, to give reason to the ones that during the season there are always critics towards my choices. Why always Lukaku? Why always Lukaku? Why always Lukaku? You have the answer why always Lukaku. Why always this and this. You have the answer.

“So probably we are not as good individually as people think we are and I keep saying if we manage to finish second it’s great, it’s more than great. But now we need four points and we must try to get them.”

Brutal.

We doubt Rashford and Martial are going to be filled with much confidence after that interview.

Mourinho’s fury could be seen during a dour first-half from United, where the Portuguese boss was halfway down the tunnel long before the half-time whistle went.

And Mourinho warned his players that the 0-0 scoreline could soon swing in Brighton’s favour if they didn’t improve their performance.

“My players if you ask them they will tell you I told you before the match what was going to happen and at half time what was going to happen. I knew it and I told them. But that’s what we got,” Mourinho said.

“Of course a positive reaction in the last 20 minutes, obviously no one likes to lose and when you feel like you are losing the game you always try and win. In the end they defended more.

“What happened in the last 15/20 minutes we could have scored a goal and got a point. But overall attitude from the first minute and especially during the first half they were obviously stronger than us and had more appetite.

“Different emotions, I didn’t succeed in persuading my players that the four points we need to finish second doesn’t look like a very important thing for my players, for me it is but for some of my players it doesn’t look important. Obviously for Brighton the point would be enough for them and means a lot for them and meant a lot for them to give everything they have.”