MOURINHO JUMPS IN TO DEFEND RECKLESS ROJO

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Jose Mourinho jumped to the defence of fiery Marcos Rojo, insisting the Argentine is a ‘clean player’ after he avoided a red card for a two-footed tackle for the second time in ten days. Mourinho’s team beat Crystal Palace 2-1 after goals from Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, either side of James McArthur’s equaliser. But United were lucky not to be down to 10 men in the first half when Rojo went in with two feet on Wilfried Zaha. Referee Craig Pawson showed a yellow card. ‘It did look bad,’ said Palace boss Alan Pardew. ‘He jumps two-footed and we go to these meetings (with officials) where that it is a red card.’ Rojo also escaped after lunging at Idrissa Gueye in United’s 1-1 draw at Everton. Mourinho, however, defended his man and pointed to bad tackles on United players this season. ‘He’s playing phenomenal,’ said the United boss. ‘He is clean, aggressive, Argentine, emotional, very clean. I didn’t comment (about) David Luiz on Marouane Fellaini or Danny Rose on Henrikh Mkhitaryan. I won’t comment on this.’ Mourinho then paid tribute to 35-year-old Ibrahimovic, whose 88th-minute strike ensured United won consecutive league games for the first time since August. This was the Swede’s 14th goal of the season and Mourinho said: ‘I knew the character of Ibra. At his age, he is a character, personality and has the passion to play. I told him England is not the best place for a holiday for a rich guy. You come for the most difficult league and to prove yourself. His decision was based on that.’ United defender Eric Bailly went off with a knee injury, having only returned to action last week after damaging a knee in October. Mourinho said: ‘We don’t know (how serious it is). It is not the same knee so he is not coming back to a previous injury. He showed amazing character to try and try, and try until his limit.’