‘No pressure on Alexis from me’

JOSE MOURINHO has refuted suggestions that he put pressure on Alexis Sanchez to pull out of the Chile squad to get his Manchester United career back on track.

After Sanchez (below) dropped out of Chile’s squad to face Japan and South Korea next week, national coach Reinaldo Rueda claimed pressure had been exerted by the Reds.

But Mourinho said: “I didn’t ask Alexis – and I never ask players not to go away. I also never contact national teams for players not to go. It’s a personal thing between him and the national manager.

“At the same time, coming from injury, Alexis feels that for him it is a much-needed two weeks off. He is still in condition to play against Burnley but feels that after that he needs two weeks to put himself in good shape.”