UNTOUCHABLE!
Now Jose urges fans to respect Lukaku
JOSE MOURINHO has told Manchester United fans that £ 75million striker Romelu Lukaku should be ‘untouchable’ from criticism and deserves more respect.
The United manager vowed to protect Lukaku after he interpreted supporters booing his decision to replace Marcus Rashford with Anthony Martial during Saturday’s win over Tottenham as a slight on the big Belgian.
Lukaku helped set up the winning goal against Spurs for Martial, but he has not scored in five games after a blistering start to the season having signed from Everton in the summer.
‘For me, he’s untouchable in my team and I think he should be untouchable in the support and the respect he deserves from the fans,’ said Mourinho ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Benfica at Old Trafford. ‘Look, the fans are the fans
and I also said that the fans pay for their tickets and are free to express themselves the way they want to express. But my job is to protect my players when I feel they deserve it. and romelu when I feel they deserve it. and romelu always deserves it because what he does for the team is fantastic.’ lukaku scored 16 times in his first 13 appearances for Belgium and United this season, but the goals have dried up this month. Mourinho defended the player after the tottenham game and felt compelled yesterday to point out that he still makes an important contribution to the team. ‘Playing football for a striker isn’t just about scoring goals,’ said Mourinho. ‘It’s not one goal or one ball that hits the post or one save by the opposition keeper that can make romelu’s contribution below the top level. He is playing extremely well for us. I think romelu is one of the players that should be untouchable in terms of the respect of everyone.’ When it was put to Mourinho that lukaku is an old-fashioned striker who will have the occasional quiet game, he replied: ‘I don’t think he’s quiet at all. ask toby alderweireld and Jan vertonghen and Eric Dier if he was quiet, and they are some of the best centre backs in football. ‘I think the point is scoring goals or not scoring goals, because in the end this is what people sometimes analyse. But he’s not quiet at all.’ United defender Eric Bailly also gave lukaku his backing yesterday when he spoke at Carrington in the build-up to the