Manchester United suffered their third defeat in a week as late goals from Juan Zuniga and Troy Deeney gave Watford a deserved Premier League win.
The hosts led when Etienne Capoue converted Daryl Janmaat’s cut-back, only for Marcus Rashford to level from close range.
Zuniga powered in with seven minutes to go, 53 seconds after coming on.
And Deeney then scored a penalty in injury time after Marouane Fellaini fouled Zuniga in the box.
Following a derby defeat by Manchester City last weekend and the midweek Europa League loss to Feyenoord, Mourinho and United have had a rough eight days.
It is the first time Mourinho has lost three consecutive games in a season since February 2002, when he was Porto boss.
But the self-proclaimed “Special One”, who has won eight league titles across Europe and the Champions League twice, has now lost 11 of his past 21 Premier League games in charge of Chelsea and Manchester United.
Mourinho made five changes to his starting line-up from the trip to the Netherlands, with Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic restored to the side, but United were disorganised and ineffective, particularly in the first half.
The United boss looked unhappy with the home side’s opening goal, feeling Anthony Martial was fouled by Miguel Britos, but he will surely need to look more closely at his own side’s failings as they drifted six points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Rooney, Ibrahimovic and £89m Paul Pogba all struggled to make an impact on the game and at the back United failed to cope with Watford’s energetic pressing and the crosses from wing-backs Janmaat and Jose Holebas.
Pogba, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in the summer, continued to look far from being the most expensive player in the world, although he was deployed in a deep midfield role alongside Fellaini that did little to get the best out of the France international.
He did have United’s best effort in the first half, hitting a 25-yard dipping shot that struck the crossbar.
But his attacking talents were wasted so far away from the opposition’s goal and, after starting the past five games, Mourinho will have to consider dropping Pogba or changing his system to accommodate the 23-year-old.
While most of Mourinho’s side toiled, the rise of Rashford continued, as the 18-year-old England striker scored on his first Premier League start of the season, taking his tally to 10 in 23 games.
He even started the move for his goal, playing a one-two with Ibrahimovic, whose cross dropped to Rashford’s feet for an easy finish from five yards out.
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