‘Carrick is only one to replace Lukaku’

JOSE Mourinho joked that if he rested Romelu Lukaku against Juventus the only possible replacement was United assistant manager Michael Carrick.

The 25-year-old has managed just four goals in 13 for the Reds this term and has squandered a hatful of giltedged chances.

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford both began their United careers as a number nine but are primarily used on the wings by Mourinho, who was without Alexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard for the midweek Champions League defeat to Juve.

Teenage striker Mason Greenwood, 17, has scored nine in eight starts for the Under-18s and two in two for the U19s in the Uefa Youth League but is yet to be added to United’s Champions League squad.

“Well against Juventus to give him a break, I don’t think Carrick can play as a striker,” Mourinho said of Lukaku. “Or we play with the players that we did or if we decide to give a rest to Lukaku, who plays as a striker? Rashford, then who plays as a winger? So in this moment we are not in the best moment to try to think about resting players or try to find solutions, the solution now is to play the players we have.”

Lukaku struck against former club Everton last season and Mourinho indicated te striker would not be dropped this weekend.

“I always feel, I always feel that every game,” Mourinho said of the possibility Lukaku could end his drought.