United currently lie in eighth place with 17 points after picking up an important win at home to Everton last Sunday.
Mourinho says difficult back-to-back away games on the fixture list have affected his side's progress so far, and although the looming league trips to Bournemouth and then Manchester City present another challenging pair, he remains confident that the Reds will have a loftier perch when 2019 rolls around.
“I think we will be in a better position,”
he told reporters at Friday's pre-match press conference.
“I always say that by the end of the season you play 19 matches at home and 19 matches away and it doesn't matter when, but the reality is the way the fixtures are coming, sometimes they have an influence in the moment.