Mourinho defends his selection amid Rashford, Martial unrest

LONDON: Jose Mourinho claimed ‘there’s nothing I can do’ about Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford’s lack of starts at Manchester United.

Both have been on the periphery since Alexis Sanchez’s arrival, with Martial particularly frustrated at his lack of opportunities over the last few months.

Rashford has made more appearances than anyone else under Mourinho, although many of those have come from the bench and he’s started just one Premier League game this year.

“It’s just football,” Mourinho said. “It would be amazing economically for the football clubs to have only 11 players and play with the same 11, no injuries, suspension, fatigue.

“It would be better for everyone to have only 11 but it is not possible. At every club and every level, you need more than 11 players and only 11 can start, is as simple as that, there’s nothing I can do.

“Marcus is the player with more appearances since I arrived at the club. Because I decide that way. I would ask why (Romelu) Lukaku plays every match, why (Nemanja) Matic plays every match.”

Martial, who has stalled on signing a new contract, is their second top scorer in the Premier League but has only played 90 minutes three times this season — once in December, then January, then February.

History tells us that United’s manager is not someone who tends to stand in the way if an unsettled member of his squad wants out, as Memphis Depay did in January last year.

Yet Mourinho could be left to rue letting Martial leave, particularly if he winds up at Arsenal or Tottenham — two clubs who are known to hold an interest.

United face West Brom today after last weekend’s stunning comeback win away at Manchester City, the single best result of Mourinho’s reign so far.

He added that United’s squad had been reminded to keep their feet on the ground during training at Carrington.

“We come from a big result and during the week I was trying to fight that result by working well and hard,” Mourinho said.

“And make the players understand that it isn’t enough to deserve to finish second, you need the points.

“After three important points last weekend we have to try this week. The second position is our ambition.

“I was not complacent because I was working really hard because I was trying to build motivational training sessions with new exercises, things that could motivate them, little tactical things.

“I try to raise the level of training and I think I managed to do it.”