Jose Mourinho Essentially Concedes Premier League Title to Man City

Jose Mourinho's Manchester United sits 15 points behind Manchester City–a deficit that's unlikely to be made up before the end of the season.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has stressed the importance of his team's improvement since this season compared to last, but has admitted that the best his side can hope for this season is second place.

United are currently five points and four places better off than they were in the Premier League table after the same number of games in 2016/17.

The Red Devils were left licking wounds following a humbling 2-0 defeat away at Tottenham on Wednesday night, but Mourinho still believes he and his players are going places and are keen to win more major silverware at the earliest opportunity.

"We're doing better than last season and it's very important for us to do better than last season. We are trying to win something this season, and if not, we will try to be stronger for next season," the United boss said addressing the media ahead of the clash with Huddersfield.

Expressing that mentality of improving year on year and always getting better ties into what Mourinho said earlier in the week about seriously challenging for 'everything' by 2020.

Saturday's fixture at Old Trafford holds extra and emotional significance for United as the club will be remembering those who lost their lives in the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, three days before the 60th anniversary of the 6th February tragedy.

A minute's silence will be held prior to kickoff for respects to be paid to the 23 victims, which included eight United players - Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg and Geoff Bent - as well as three club officials.

"I think tomorrow is a day to show the passion for the club and the respect for them [the victims] and their families," Mourinho said on the subject.

"I think it's a day to play well, to bring joy, for people to be together enjoying the game and at the same time showing all the respect for the people and their families."

Beyond the commemorations, he added, "The game is important for us because we need the points to be the 'first of the last' - we have to finish second. The fight is open for the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth [places] but it's practically closed for the first."

United will be without Marouane Fellaini, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the game.