Was this intentional or an honest mistake from the Special One?

Jose Mourinho has moved on from his unfortunate spell at Man United which saw him get sacked, becoming a Sky Sports pundit before being appointed as Tottenham coach since. Despite this, the Portuguese tactician could not help but aim a subtle dig at his former employers.

The Special One spoke with Sky Sports about the heated top-four race. Only six points separate fourth-placed Chelsea and ninth-placed Wolves in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Red Devils, who sit in the eighth spot, are one of five teams looking to leapfrog the Blues – including Mourinho’s Tottenham but excluding 10th-placed Arsenal. However, when asked who he thinks can finish in the top four this season, Jose just happened to omit Man United’s name.

In fact, the Portuguese boss even mentioned the Gunners who are considered by many as the likeliest to miss out. Mourinho was adamant that Sheffield and Wolves should not be underestimated but made no mention of his former employers.

"Wolves and Sheffield United are fighting for the top four, [the managers] they can say no, and I understand if they say no but the reality is that they are. Not just because of the position that they are in the table, but because of the power and quality," Jose told Sky Sports.

"They arrive in this situation where, in the eyes of everybody, they should be more than happy, but they are not more than happy. Wolves bought an important player [Daniel Podence for £17m] to try to improve their situation.

"Sheffield bought an important player [Sander Berge for £22m], they beat their record in the market to try to improve their team.

"So it’s not just about Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Everton. It’s not just about us. It’s also about these two clubs who I have to say [are] fantastic."

Tottenham return to action in the league this Sunday with a trip to Aston Villa. After their 2-0 triumph over Man City, Spurs moved within four points of Lampard’s side.