Jose Mourinho Keen to Keep Man Utd's Feet on Ground Despite 4-0 Opening Win

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is keen to keep expectations in check and feet firmly on the ground after last weekend's 4-0 thrashing of West Ham in the season opener at Old Trafford led to immediate talks of the club being 'back' after several fruitless years.

The game marked United's biggest win in nearly three years, with the Hammers no match for a physically strong side that now includes Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic.

"It's just the beginning," Mourinho commented as he faced the press ahead of this weekend's trip to south Wales to face Swansea.

"Last season, we started with three matches and nine points and we finished sixth," he pointed out.

"So it's not because of a very good first day that I'm going to lose my stability and my discipline and let the players think differently from myself."

In the four seasons since the great Sir Alex Ferguson retired, United have finished 7th, 4th, 5th and 6th in the Premier League and Mourinho knows it is up to him and his players to improve if they are bridge the gap and seriously challenge in 2017/18.

"When I won two consecutive titles with Chelsea, the United manager [Sir Alex] said we brought the bar to a certain level," he stated.

"And that they had to improve a lot to try to win the trophy back. I think this happens every season. Somebody wins and the others are not happy. They don't accept it with their hands in their pockets and the others improve to try to be better."

United go into the second weekend of the new campaign top of the table on goal difference ahead of Huddersfield Town, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal.