Mourinho charged over referee comments, adding to apparent misery of isolation in Manchester

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged over his comments about referee Anthony Taylor before his side’s Premier League tie with Liverpool. The charge comes as reports emerged the Portuguese manager is unhappy with life in Manchester.

Referee Taylor was born in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester and has been officiating in the Premier League since 2010. He owns a season ticket at English non-league football team Altrincham FC, who are based in Greater Manchester.

Mourinho said it would be “difficult” for Taylor to referee the game between the two fierce rivals given the “pressure” the appointment would place on him.

The Football Association (FA) has now charged Mourinho with improper conduct and bringing the game into disrepute. He has until October 31 to respond to the charge.

Premier League managers are forbidden from making comments about referees before a game.

Former referees' chief Keith Hackett was among those to question the decision to assign the match to Taylor, claiming it would be "intolerable" if he got a big decision wrong.

Taylor, who refereed the 2015 English League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, gave four yellow cards in the game on October 17 – all to Manchester United players.

For Mourinho, the charge comes as reports emerged the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss is unhappy with life since he moved to Manchester to take the reins at Old Trafford in May this year.

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The two-time UEFA Champions League winner has been living without his wife and children, who are based in London, in the Lowry Hotel across from the stadium in Salford Quays since his appointment. He has insisted life has been a "bit of a disaster" due to the number of photographers camped outside the complex.

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"I just want to cross the bridge and go to a restaurant. I can't, so it's really bad," Mourinho told Sky Sports.

"For me it's a bit of a disaster because I want sometimes to walk a little bit and I can't," he added before Wednesday's EFL Cup fourth round tie with Manchester City at Old Trafford.

"The reality is that my daughter will be 20 next week, my son will be 17 in a couple of months. They are very stable.

"University in London. Football in London. Friends. So they are in an age where they can't chase me like they did before. So for the first time the family lives in a different way."

Mourinho, who is earning a reported £10 million a year (US$12.2 million) at United, saw his side beat local rivals City 1-0 in the match courtesy of a goal by Spanish midfielder Juan Mata.

The result comes just days after United were humiliated 4-0 by Chelsea in Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge as a Premier League manager. Mourinho won three league titles, two FA Cups and three EFL Cups in two spells as manager of the London club.