What's indicative of him not thinking United can challenge the League (after the defeats against City and Watford) is the complete change of policy regarding what players he would use come September in the Europa Cup and, most probably, the League Cup (City again). Remember how he cried every press-conference about September taking so much time to arrive, when he would give every single player minutes? After a loss, Mourinho goes back to whom he ever was, with the good (competitiveness) and the bad (not playing youth) that goes with it.