Manchester United are making progress under Jose Mourinho and are “unlucky” not to be challenging Chelsea, says their former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson, 75, stepped down in 2013 but retains close ties to Old Trafford and attends most games.

“I think he has done a great job,” said the Scot in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport.

Ferguson also explained why he thinks Wayne Rooney’s United goalscoring record will never be broken.

‘Without those draws, they’d be challenging Chelsea’

Jose Mourinho became Manchester United’s third manager since Ferguson retired when he replaced Louis van Gaal in May.

Although he won his opening three games in charge, Mourinho’s team collected just six points from their next seven Premier League matches.

There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn’t getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now – he is calm and in control

Ferguson on Mourinho
They have been sixth after every round of matches since the end of October and stayed in that position after the 1-1 draw at Stoke on 21 January, when Rooney scored an injury-time equaliser to become United’s record goalscorer, with 250.

Nevertheless, Ferguson can see signs of progress under the Portuguese. And though Chelsea are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League – and 14 points ahead of the Old Trafford club – he believes his former side are “unlucky” not to be up there with them.

“You can see he has got to grips with the club,” he said.

“The team is playing really well and he has been very unlucky. He has had six 1-1 draws and in every game he has battered the opposition.

“If they hadn’t had all these draws, they would be there challenging Chelsea. That is the unfortunate part but he is going to have to live with that.”

‘The team is mirroring its manager’

Mourinho has been sent to the stands twice this season, against Burnley and West Ham, as his side struggled to overcome supposedly inferior opposition at Old Trafford.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager seems far more relaxed now though.

United go to Hull on Thursday for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final unbeaten in 17 games. That run encompassed nine successive wins, including a 2-0 triumph in the first leg at Old Trafford, their longest-winning sequence since Ferguson called time on his illustrious career.

Ferguson said: “I was a little bit different from Jose in the respect that I wanted to build the football club and wanted young players to be part of that.

“Nonetheless, the first team weren’t doing great and you have to find solutions to correct that. I think Jose is finding solutions now. There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn’t getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now – he is calm and in control.

“That is the obvious observation I am making of the team now. The team is mirroring its manager.

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