I live in a hotel in Manchester because of my assistants - Jose Mourinho (Details, pics)

Jose Mourinho has defended his commitment to Manchester United and decision to live in the Lowry Hotel, suggesting it would make him ‘sad’ to leave.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, Mourinho said he intends staying at Old Trafford and is expecting the club owners to renew his contract which expires at the end of next season.

"I want to stay," Mourinho said. "My intention is to stay, to work, to improve and to bring the club to where it belongs. "I don’t see any reason not to stay. I still have a contract. In fact, I am in the middle of my contract. I am not in the last couple of months, and my desire is to stay while the owners and the board are happy with my work."

As I said when I arrived, I’m going to leave when the club wants me to leave, because I have no intention to leave at all."Mourinho has spent an increasing amount of time at his London family home despite working in Manchester and he says that is no issue for him.

His decision to remain in a hotel since moving to Manchester in June 2016 has consistently raised doubts over his long-term future but he says he lives in the hotel because he is comfortable there and close to his assistants."If the fans want me to be comfortable, that’s the way I feel comfortable," he added. "I am very lazy. I like to arrive in the hotel. If they are worried about me being comfortable and happy and supported, I really am."If they want me to be in a house that I don’t like, lonely, away from my assistants, then I would be a sad guy — and sad guys don’t work well."

Mourinho has been staying at the Lowry Hotel since moving to Manchester in June 2016.

His side are currently second on the Premier League table with 47 points after 22 points and just one above Antonio Conte's Chelsea side.