Manchester United news: Eric Cantona backs Jose Mourinho to lift the Premier League title - despite shaky start

United have slipped five points behind early pacesetters City after losing the Manchester derby

Eric Cantona at Old Trafford this season (Getty)

Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has backed Jose Mourinho’s men to win the Premier League title this season despite an indifferent start to life under the Portuguese.

United have slipped five points behind early pacesetters City – largely owing to their Manchester derby day defeat last month – but face Liverpool and Chelsea during a crucial month which could yet determine their chances of lodging a bid to lift the title.

Cantona, who won four titles at Old Trafford in the 1990s, insists Mourinho has the skillset to defeat his managerial rivals and restore United to their place at the top of the English game.

“It's just the beginning. Manchester can still be champions. Jose Mourinho is a successful manager at a successful club which this year has successful players,” Cantona told Portuguese newspaper Publico.

The Frenchman added: “But this is an extremely difficult championship, full of great teams and great managers like Pep Guardiola. I love Jose Mourinho, but in terms of the type of football he plays I don’t think he is Manchester United.

“I love his personality; I love the passion he has for the game, his humour. He is very intelligent, he demands 100% of his players. And of course he wins things.

“Guardiola was the one to take. He is the spiritual son of Johan Cruyff. I would have loved to have seen Guardiola in Manchester [United]. He is the only one to change Manchester. He is in Manchester, but at the wrong one.”