WATFORD V UNITED Shaw out of clash after head injury
LUKE Shaw has not travelled with the United squad for the Premier League fixture at Watford, but Marouane Fellaini is in contention to figure.
The left-back suffered concussion in a collision with Dani Carvajal during England’s defeat to Spain last Saturday.
The 23-year-old was carried off and withdrew from the squad for the friendly against Switzerland in Leicester on Tuesday, but instead checked in at United’s Carrington training complex.
However, Shaw was not with the United squad which took the train from Stockport Station yesterday afternoon but Fellaini, who was a doubt due to a back injury, was in the travelling party.
Mourinho has also recalled Matteo Darmian to offset Shaw’s absence and Sergio Romero is back with the firstteam squad following a long-term knee injury.
Mourinho confirmed Ander Herrera was out of the trip after he suffered an injury in training in midweek.
“Fellaini is a doubt. Ander Herrera is out,” said the Reds boss. “He had one little problem in one medical in training during the week, so he is also a doubt.”
And Mourinho admits United face a tough test against a Watford side who have won all four of their games.
He said: “Twelve points is great for them, good victories at home, strong performances, congratulations to Javi (Gracia) and the players and to the club overall, because it was a very good start.” JOSE Mourinho launched an impassioned defence of Marcus Rashford’s playing time at United in the last two years.
The striker scored twice for England against Spain and Switzerland and his form prompted Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to suggest he ‘leaves’ United over a supposed lack of game-time.
Romelu Lukaku is firmly established as United’s firstchoice centre-forward and Alexis Sanchez is Mourinho’s main left winger, while Rashford has struggled in his stints on the right flank.
Despite not being a regular starter at United, the 20-year-old has never been dropped from a matchday squad by Mourinho and started the Europa League final last year and May’s FA Cup final. The United boss ridiculed certain journalists’ ‘obsession’ with his use of Rashford and insisted his situation was better than Dominic Solanke’s at Liverpool. “I think I can expect that Sunday I’m going to be highly criticised for not playing him tomorrow,” Mourinho said of Rashford, who is banned from today’s game at Watford due to his sending off against Burnley. “Because some of the boys are really obsessed with me and some of them have, I think a problem with some compulsive lies, so I can expect that Sunday some of them will wake up and always the first thing they think that comes to their mind is Jose Mourinho. “So I can imagine on Sunday I am going to be criticised for not playing Marcus but is not my fault, he’s suspended, so probably you should remind them he is suspended and cannot play. Jose Mourinho
“Performances with England, of course I’m happy, he played well, competed well, he scored and especially in a period where he comes with some sadness after his suspension and it was very good that he did that.”
Mourinho then outlined a series of stats to prove his point. He said: “I’m going to do something, not for you but the United fans.
“On the season 2016/17 Marcus Rashford played 32 Premier League matches, 11 Europa League matches, including the final, three FA Cup matches, six League Cup matches including the final and the Community Shield.
“He had 53 appearances, but if you want to take to the minutes of play, he played 3,068 and if you wan to divide that by 90 minutes of the matches, he played 34.2 matches of 90 minutes in ‘16/17.
“In ‘17/18, he played 35 Premier League matches, eight in Champions League, five in FA Cup including the final, three League Cup matches and the European Super Cup final.
“He played a total of 52 matches with 2,676 minutes, if