Shaw and Smalling ‘baffled’ but ‘senior stars back Jose’
Date published: Tuesday 8th November 2016 9:36
Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling are said to be ‘baffled’ by Jose Mourinho’s outburst about their unwillingness to play with pain, though ‘senior players’ have let it be known that they back the manager’s stance.
The Daily Telegraph are among those newspapers who have been told that Shaw and Smalling are confused after being singled out by Mourinho after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Swansea.
Both players have had painkilling injections this season, with Smalling struggling with a foot problem that left Mourinho calling him “phenomenal” for playing against Chelsea.
Now Mourinho has turned that praise on its head by saying on Sunday: “There is a difference between the brave, who want to play at any cost, and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference.”
Meanwhile, The Sun’s Neil Ashton has been briefed that ‘Manchester United’s stars are BACKING Jose Mourinho over his amazing bust-up with Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling.
‘Senior players have accepted that the only way to succeed under the Special One is to accept his ruthless regime.’
There were a lot of ‘senior players’ involved on Sunday at Swansea, with the average age of outfield players over 28. One of them – Wayne Rooney – was extensively praised by Ashton on Monday.
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