Jose Mourinho was in typically understated mood as he said Manchester United could have scored "four, five or six" at Watford, but was less impressed with the way his side came close to allowing Watford back into tonight's clash at Vicarage Road.

The Red Devils were in control at the break with a three-goal advantage over their hosts, but when Troy Deeney's penalty and another from Abdoulaye Doucoure put the hosts back within a goal, it was squeaky bum time for the Portuguese manager.

Mourinho felt his side had underestimated Watford's "quality" and thought the game was done at the break - but did seal it in style late on thanks to Jesse Lingard.

"We had chances for 4, 5 and 6," he said. "We had that in the first half, and finished the first half with an open goal.

"In the second half we had more chances but didn’t score. The players had a feeling it was too easy and the game was over, and that Watford could not react.

"But then they did, and the penalty gave them belief. These teams in midtable have quality, and no pressure.

"They don’t feel the pressure the teams with other objectives have so they come with everything and had no issue with conceding four or more.

"They gave us a couple of minutes of real pressure, and we felt that anything could happen. That’s football, last week Dortmund-Schalke went 4-0 to 4-4, Liverpool-Sevilla 3-0 to 3-3, that’s football.

"I’d like to forget the five minutes where we conceded the goals and didn’t score, I’d prefer to focus on all the good things.

"We were so in control and dangerous in attacking situations. To score four away from home is good."