Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has said that Wolverhampton Wanderers counterpart Nuno Espirito Santo has "earned the right" to manage in the Premier League.

Nuno enjoyed spells with Rio Ave, Valencia and Porto before being appointed as the new head coach of the West Midlands outfit last year, and the Portuguese has quickly established Wolves in England's top flight after winning the Championship title during the most recent campaign.

The 44-year-old featured under Mourinho at Porto during his playing days, and his former manager has praised the path that the ex-goalkeeper has taken on the way to arriving in England.

At a press conference, Mourinho told reporters: "When they are players, you always have players you have a little bit of a feeling they can become managers, but I don't think even then think about it, that team at Porto.

"I would say 75% of them are now managers, Nuno reaches the Premier League level and reached it be his own merit and credit. He didn't come direct to the Premier League, he came to the Championship, so he earned the right to be a Premier League manager and fantastic work, the result speaks by itself."

United play host to Wolves at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.