Liverpool fans, who have never needed any encouragement to turn their Anfield home into an intimidating cauldron of noise for United, have evidently found it amusing that Mourinho should need to urge his side's fans to make themselves heard.
There is, of course, method in the United manager's gentle chiding of the club's supporters, who were conspicuously muted during the 2-0 midweek win over Hull City in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
"What I feel is Sunday is a special match for the Man United fans. So my invitation is 'don't come to the theatre, come to play, play with us'," Mourinho urged.
By rekindling memories of Roy Keane's scathing dismissal in 2000 of the corporate hospitality element among United's fans as the prawn sandwich brigade, the manager clearly hopes the implied slight will spur United fans to make the Theatre of Dreams feel nightmarish for Liverpool again.
For the latest edition of the English game's most seething rivalry could prove pivotal.
If a packed Old Trafford can roar Mourinho's increasingly impressive creation to a 10th successive win in all competitions, United will be only two points behind a free-scoring Liverpool side lionised all season as potential champions.
