Mourinho tells players: 'stay home' if you can't handle Old Trafford pressure

Jose Mourinho has told Manchester United's underachieving players to "stay at home" if they cannot handle the pressure to perform at Old Trafford as they seek to reach the Champions League last 16.

Young Boys are the visitors on Tuesday as the Red Devils look to qualify for the knockout phase with a game to spare -- a feat they will achieve should they win and Valencia fail to beat Juventus.

Progress would be a welcome shot in the arm after Saturday's tepid goalless draw with struggling Crystal Palace, which left them 14 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City and with a mere three wins from nine home matches in all competitions.

However, Mourinho rejected suggestions that his players find it easier to play away and laughed off a suggestion that playing at Old Trafford brought added pressure ahead of facing the Swiss champions.

"If you feel pressure, stay at home -- and when I say home, I don't say stadium home, I say home home and watch on TV," he said.

"If you feel pressure to play matches at home where the people come to support... come on. I never felt pressure to play at home."