Four days ago, Jose Mourinho summoned his players to a suite at the team hotel in Southampton and questioned their professionalism and commitment in language that left them in no doubt about how he felt.
When asked on Monday if those players are still behind him in the wake of Manchester United's limp draw at St Mary's, Mourinho avoided a direct answer and chose instead to explain why he believes no player goes out of his way to get the manager sacked.
The message seemed clear enough: whatever the squad think of him, they have a duty to United to perform at their best.