MANCHESTER, England -- Jose Mourinho has suggested Manchester United lost their "dignity" in the dire defeat to West Ham while demanding his players play for the club and not themselves.
United face Valencia in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday and ahead of the game Mourinho sent a pointed warning to his squad after a run of three games without a win including a wretched performance in a 3-1 loss at the London Stadium.
"All of my life, I have followed certain golden rules," Mourinho wrote in his programme notes ahead of Valencia.
"One of them is that a team can lose matches -- that is just a part of football -- but the team must never, ever lose its dignity.
"The team must fight, work, compete, win duels, be humble, and then at the end of the game every player must be exhausted because of the hard work they have given for the club, for the fans and for each other.
"That leads to another pair of golden rules which must be followed: The team is always more important than the individual, and the crest on the chest is more important than the name on the back of the shirt.
"This is me. This is how I work. This is what I ask of my team, my group, my club."
Mourinho's position at Old Trafford has come under pressure after slipping nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and Manchester City after just seven games.
They face Valencia and Newcastle at Old Trafford before the international break, which is followed by a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.