The general consensus following Manchester United's scoreless draw with Liverpool, after all the hype, was that football was the real loser.
In a night when less than 1,000 people turned out to watch two crucial matches in the League of Ireland Premier Division title race, the audience watching from this side of the water saw Mourinho employ negative tactics to grind out a tedious point from a difficult trip to Anfield.
The game is now followed by a trip Chelsea, ho have kept two clean sheets in their last two games following a chastening defeat to Arsenal.
While the fixture may not produce many goals to match the hype of Mourinho's return to his former club, here's five games that did produce the goods.
1) Chelsea 3-3 Manchester United, 05-02-12
In 2012, Manchester United were trying to silence their noisy neighbours. Manchester City were setting down a marker and trying to topple the established order.
At Stamford Bridge United produced a stirring comeback to come from three goals down at half-time to draw 3-3. Alex Ferguson's side were without a Premier League win at Chelsea in a decade - a record they would then address later that year with a 3-2 victory at the Bridge.
John Terry's removal as England captain provided a sub-plot to the game and United's Rio Ferdinand was booed throughout the match.
Terry is scheduled to stand trial in July on charges of racially abusing Ferdinand's brother Anton.
2) Manchester United 3-3 Chelsea, 23-09-00
Claudio Ranieri took charge of his first game as Chelsea manager away to Manchester United as his team welcomed the Premier League onto the pitch with a guard of honour.
A brace from Tore Andre Flo, as well as a wonder strike from Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink were enough to earn the visitors a share of the points. Teddy Sherringham, David Beckham and an equally special strike from Paul Scholes ensure the champions were off to an unbeaten start and continued their form of going unbeaten at home in the league for 21 months.
Ranieri, now a Premier League winning manager, was in charge of the club between 2000 and 2004, in which time he won no major domestic honours.
3) Chelsea 5-0 Manchester United, 03-10-99
It was the first Premiership match United had lost since a 3-1 to Middlesbrough last December of 1998 - a run of 29 games without defeat.
A remarkable record came to an end in an ill-tempered game at Stamford Bridge, with Gus Poyet scoring twice for the Blues.
Poyet took just 27 seconds to open the scoring and send them on their way.
4) Manchester United 3-2 Chelsea, 24-04-00
United's form had been so impressive that season that by April, the league had already been decided. Chelsea would welcome them out to the pitch to a guard of honour, something they would do once again less than five months later with a new manager.
Dwight Yorke, who scored that afternoon, received his player of the month away for his efforts and Ferguson scooped the manager of the month award.
Fan favourite Gianfranco Zola was also on target during a sunny afternoon at Old Trafford.
5) Chelsea 3-5 Manchester United, 04-01-98
The only FA Cup match we have opted to include in list produced eight goals and came during Manchester United's treble winning season.
Manchester United went 5-0 up before conceding three goals and were thankful for the final whistle as they took their foot off the gas in the second half.
Goals from Beckham and Cole were enough to help United on their way.
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