Jose: Man. United Is Fergie's House

Jose Mourinho has told Sir Alex Ferguson that Manchester United is "his house, always and forever" and has spoken of the respect between the pair.

The Portuguese was speaking after United's most successful manager praised Mourinho and the progress he has made in his first season at Old Trafford.

Mourinho, whose side face Hull in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 1HD, said he had "too much respect" for Ferguson to discuss the glowing endorsement at length.

However, while he revealed that the Scot has kept his distance from first-team affairs, Mourinho insisted he knows he has the support of the 75-year-old and said the pair kept in touch as opposing managers.

"I think I shouldn't comment, obviously he is such an important person in the club and obviously means a lot but I don't want to comment," he said. "I wouldn't comment even if the comments were negative, I have too much respect. Too much respect.

"The support I feel is the support I always felt with him, except when I was a direct competitor and playing against his teams, but I always felt this kind of support. I think he felt the same when I was abroad in Italy and Spain.

"Friends wishing good to each other, supporting each other by a simple SMS that can mean a lot in a certain moment. I think he is very respectful too. He doesn't want to be around, he doesn't want to come many times.

"I think he feels completely free because I told him that this is his house always and forever but just a couple of times he travelled with us on the bus and on the train. He visited us once but we know that this is his club, this is his life and that he is supporting of us."

United are unbeaten in 17 games but eight Premier League draws have hampered their title challenge. They are also still competing in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League, where they will face Saint Etienne in the round of 32 next month.

If United progress to the EFL Cup final then their Premier League trip to Manchester City on February 26 would have to be re-arranged but Mourinho is not sure how many of those tournaments his side can win.

"I really don't know. I know it is going to be hard if we go step by step because if, if, if - we go to the field of the if's - but if we beat Hull and play the [EFL Cup] final, then we don't play against Manchester City," he said.

"Then the match against Manchester City, I am sure that they will choose an amazing moment difficult for us to make us play against them.

"Then we have the Europa League which is the non-stop competition. The Champions League last 16, they have four fixtures for two matches. In this four fixtures in Europa League you have to play last 32 and last 16. If we progress it is going to be really difficult but let's see."

Credit: Skysports.com