David Moyes: 'Manchester United should stand by Jose Mourinho'

Sunderland manager David Moyes has urged Manchester United to stick with Jose Mourinho for the long haul.

Mourinho succeeded Louis van Gaal as Red Devils boss over the summer and has a mixed start to his time in the hotseat, with defeats to Manchester City and former club Chelsea in the league, as well as a Europa League humiliation at Fenerbahce this week.

Moyes had a 10-month stint in charge of the side following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 and believes that his successors' problems demonstrate that he was prematurely dismissed from his post.

"I've always felt that [it wasn't just my fault] and that it would take time, but that's football," Moyes told the Daily Mail.

"The Manchester United job will be tough for anybody who takes it, whether it be Jose or Louis or me, because you're following the finest manager in our time. Jose's a top manager, as was Van Gaal, but it's difficult for whoever goes there.

"Manchester United need stability, and it's a football club that has always trusted itself, trusted its managers, believed in their managers, and certainly given their managers time to do the right job. I had my time there, and it's passed on to somebody else. But it's still a great job."

Moyes's Sunderland side are currently rock bottom of the Premier League after failing to win in their first 10 games of the season.