Mourinho under pressure to deliver Champions League football, says Moyes

The pressure is on Jose Mourinho to secure Champions League football for Manchester United, according to former Red Devils boss David Moyes.

United are currently some way off securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, but a win over Moyes' Sunderland on Sunday will see them leapfrog Arsenal into fifth and close the gap to fourth-placed Manchester City to just four points.

'Defying Ferguson the worst mistake of my life'

Moyes endured a fruitless 12 months at Old Trafford in 2013-14 before being replaced by Louis van Gaal and is currently fighting to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League.

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However, despite his own difficulties at the Stadium of Light, the Scottish manager has heaped pressure on his Portuguese counterpart ahead of their encounter.

"It will be very tight for them this season but I think United have to be in the Champions League,” Moyes told the Daily Mail.

“You have to win trophies there and Jose has a [League Cup] trophy under his belt quickly."

Nevertheless, the former Everton and Real Sociedad coach stressed that Mourinho will inevitably require time and patience in order to get things right at United. 

The kids are NOT all right for Mourinho

He said: "Every manager needs a bit of time and whoever is at Manchester United needs time to understand the club, its size and how it works.

"You can't turn it around quickly because it is a big beast.

"You don't get offered the Manchester United job if you're a bad manager. You only get that position if you've had something to show previously."