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JOSE MOURINHO has stood up for Romelu Lukaku, saying the striker is “untouchable”.
Lukaku is starting to feel the heat for the first time since joining Manchester United following five games without a goal.
The Belgian star started life at United in blistering form, netting 11 goals in his first 10 matches.
But the ex-Everton ace has been firing blanks of late to raise questions about his ability to sustain his brilliance over the whole season.
Doubts remain over Lukaku’s ability to produce the goods against the top sides following his failure to score in clashes with Liverpool and Tottenham in recent weeks.
Some United fans even jeered when Mourinho failed to replace him during last weekend’s 1-0 home win over Spurs and took off Marcus Rashford instead.
But Mourinho insists the forward should be immune from criticism because of his value to the team.
He said: “The fans are the fans and I’ve also said that the fans pay for their tickets and are free to express themselves the way they want to express themselves.
Deserve
“But my job is, when I feel they deserve it, to protect my players.
“I think Romelu is one of the players that should be untouchable in terms of the respect of everyone.
“It’s not one goal, or the ball goes hitting the post, or a save by the opposition keeper that can make Romelu’s contribution below the top level.
“He is playing extremely well for us and, yes, I have to protect my players when I feel they deserve it.
“And Romelu always deserves it, because what he does for the team ® is fantastic. Playing football for a striker isn’t just about scoring goals. So, for me, he is untouchable in my team and I think he should be untouchable in support from the fans.
“Fans, they pay the ticket and do what they want. But, as a manager, I feel a duty to protect my players when I feel they deserve it.”
Lukaku is set to line up against Benfica in the Champions League clash at Old Trafford tonight, where a win will all but see United book a place in the knockout stages.
The Portuguese champions have still to win a single point in the competition this season and United are expected to register a fourth straight triumph.
Mourinho wants to win the group to secure an easier tie in the last 16 and knows victory would boost United’s confidence even further ahead of this weekend’s crunch trip to Chelsea.
But the United chief has ordered his stars to forget about going to Stamford Bridge and focus on the task in hand.
Mourinho, still without the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini, added: “Nobody is thinking about any other game than Benfica – not Chelsea. Just Benfica and the Champions League.