Manchester: Manchester United defenders Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw have been blasted by manager Jose Mourinho for allegedly refusing to play during their Premier League football win against Swansea.
Shaw and Smalling were in the firing line after the Portuguese accused them of betraying United’s “culture”.
United won 3-1 on Sunday, with a brace from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and another from French international Paul Pogba during an impressive first half performance.
But Mourinho, serving a one-match suspension from the touchline, did not hold back.
“Smalling doesn’t feel that he can play 100 per cent with his pain, Luke Shaw told me (in the) morning that he was not in the condition to play, so we had to build a defensive line,” he told MUTV.
“Daley Blind has some problems but he put himself available to be on the bench and to try to help the team, so the people that are here are people that I trust for a difficult match.”
The Portuguese praised his makeshift back four after the game, then turned his attentions back to his absent duo, as he stated that the Englishmen must change their mindset to play under him.
“What I mean is that we have players with problems, but we also have players on the pitch who have problems,” he said.
Mourinho added: “I have a friend who is a big tennis player and he tells me when he remembered more the times he plays with pain than the times he plays without pain.
“To compete, you have to work to the limits. It is a cultural thing, for some. But that’s not my culture.”
Mourinho was then asked directly whether Smalling and Shaw have to change to play for him, to which the manager replied:
“Exactly, but more than me, Man United. More than me, Man United.”
It is not the first time since Mourinho came in that Shaw has been criticised by the Manchester United manager, while Smalling has not played since United’s 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea.
Henrikh Mkihtaryan, who came on during United’s 1-2 defeat against Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Thursday night, was also missing from the win at Swansea.
— Agencies
