Jose Mourinho has had an up and down time as Manchester United manager.

Ever since joining the club in 2016, fans and pundits have been split right down the middle on his suitability for the role.

His brand of football - prioritising 'win at all costs' and arguably stifling creativity - has drawn plenty of criticism but on the other hand, he delivered the League Cup and Europa League trophies in his first year.

Mourinho's second year was equally as divisive as he took United to their highest finish since Sir Alex Ferguson left, second, but crashed out of the Champions League at home to Sevilla and lost the FA Cup final.

This season has already seen good times and bad - United fell to defeat at Brighton before being thumped 3-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur but turned things around with four wins from their next five Premier League games.

There have been arguments in the background with star player Paul Pogba, however, with their relationship dominating discussion at times.

The public baiting between the two has been another example for many that Mourinho isn't the right fit for the club.

But while his style and attitude have come under great criticism, assistant coach Michael Carrick believes Mourinho credit for firmly understanding one part of United's history - the way he uses young players.

"He does get the history," said Carrick, according to Sky Sports. "For the manager to put [Rashford] in and play him and Scott [McTominay] last year, and give them games - big games as well.

"The manager has to take a lot of credit for that. That's the constant challenge though, isn't it? That's what everyone wants to see, that next one."

"They say it's getting harder. But that's a challenge for us as a club and for English football - you might not get tens and twenties, you might get five or six players - but it's got to keep happening."

Using young players isn't something that Mourinho usually gets credit for - it was quite the opposite at Chelsea, in fact - but he certainly has put a lot of faith in McTominay and Rashford at a time when young players typically struggle to get time at top clubs.

No matter how long Mourinho sticks around for, United may be incredibly grateful for that over the coming years.