Furious Maya is backed
JOSE MOURINHO has hit back at critics of Romelu Lukaku’s recent performances by declaring the Manchester United striker is tired – and he cannot rest him.
Lukaku has played every minute of United’s 20 league games this season because Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not been fit and he does not trust youngsters Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial enough to play them through the middle.
After a fine start to the season, Lukaku, below, has managed only four goals in his last 19 games while making mistakes in his own penalty area that have led to opponents scoring.
The £75million Belgian striker has come under fire but Mourinho said: “The boy is tired. Physically, the guy is a monster but he is not a machine and he’s feeling it.
“He has played 20 matches in the Premier League and for the full 90 minutes in each of them. For any player that’s incredible, but especially a striker.
“If you are a central defender, a holding midfield player, where you can control your energy with your positional play, you can resist, survive. But for a striker to play 90 minutes in all 20 Premier League games, I have to be grateful.”
Asked if he could afford to rest Lukaku for today’s visit of Southampton and Monday’s trip back to his former club Everton, he said: “No, I can’t.”
RICHARD TANNER MAURICIO Pellegrino says Southampton defender Maya Yoshida was right to blast his Saints sinners.
Yoshida launched a scathing attack on his team-mates after the Saints’ 5-2 thrashing at Tottenham and claimed they had got worse under Pellegrino.
Pellegrino said: “We have got a critics’ spirit in our dressing room.
“Maya is one of the captains and the intention of the player is that he assumes responsibility and wants to bounce back from the situation.
“Maya is always the guy who is constructive and always making sure we are doing the best to push with this energy.”
Southampton travel to Manchester United today looking to end a dismal run of one win in 11 matches and Pellegrino added: “The first thing is to try to clean our minds and start doing simple things.”
United are also looking to rediscover their best form after a poor festive period and Pellegrino said Jose Mourinho’s struggles put his own woes into perspective.
“Even for United it is difficult to win games in a row because the Premier League is competitive,” he said.