Jose Mourinho not to blame if Manchester United don't win the title claims Frank Lampard

Lampard doesn't believe the blame should be laid at Mourinho's door should United eventually miss out come the end of the season

Jose Mourinho's team sit eight points behind Manchester City (Getty)

Frank Lampard has insisted that if Manchester United fail to win the Premier League title it won't be down to Jose Mourinho.

United headed into the international break eight points behind bitter rivals Manchester City with Mourinho's defensive style of play coming in for criticism in recent weeks.

By way of contrast Pep Guardiola has City playing some of the best football in Europe but Lampard, who enjoyed glittering success under the Portuguese at Chelsea, doesn't believe the blame should be laid at Mourinho's door should United eventually miss out come the end of the season.

"Mourinho is a manager that likes to win and he has a way of winning. It's different to Pep Guardiola, different to Antonio Conte and that's his way," he told Omnisport. "If Manchester United don't win the Premier League, for me it's the quality of the players.

"Manchester City have a very strong squad this year, Chelsea still have a very strong squad and I think particularly the first XI, if everybody's fit, Chelsea are very strong.

"When I look at Manchester United, they're there around that area, but maybe the other teams can be stronger.

"I certainly don't think it'll be the manager, and I actually do think that Manchester United will be competitive towards the end of the season, so we'll see."