Man Utd stars annoyed by Mourinho refusal to drop under-par star

Manchester United’s players are said to be seething behind the scenes over Jose Mourinho’s decision to consistently protect one senior star from the axe.

The United manager is known for his spiky persona in the game and this year alone has had reported run-ins with Antonio Valencia, Anthony Martial and Eric Bailly. However, his ongoing feud with Paul Pogba – which admittedly now looks to have eased – has grabbed many a headline since the summer and led to speculation that the midfielder could seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.

But one player who has escaped Mourinho’s wrath is his former Chelsea charge Nemanja Matic, who has been an ever-present at Old Trafford since his arrival from Stamford Bridge in a £40million deal in summer 2017.

The Serbian is known to have a close relationship with the United boss, but – like so many of his teammates – has seen his performances fall below-par this season.

And his display in United’s midfield on Sunday – alongside Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini – has drawn further criticism, with many feeling he now should face the axe after failing to shine during the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City. You can see how our Player Ratings scored him after the match.

Now, according to The Times, Mourinho’s apparent refusal to drop Matic is starting to grate on a number of his teammates and cause tension within the United ranks.

It’s claimed Mourinho’s unwavering support of the Serbian has left staff and players bemused, who feel Matic’s lack of mobility is now causing serious concerns against the better opponents.

Mourinho spoke about Fellaini’s efforts at City after the match – blaming the Belgian’s inclusion from the start as ‘ruining his game plan’ – but protected Matic from criticism by refusing to discuss his performance.

Asked if United missed the injured Paul Pogba, Mourinho replied: “It’s not me after a defeat to be speaking about a player who was not here.

“Of course, we missed him. One of the things that broke our plan a lot was the fact Fellaini had to start the game.

“Because Fellaini is not in conditions to play 90 minutes. He was phenomenal in his effort but he was not in the condition to do it and normally, I bring Fellaini to this game in the latest part of the game.

“Imagine this game with Fellaini coming on at 2-1 fresh with 25 minutes to go. That’s an important thing for us.”

Matic made 35 starts in the Premier League for the Red Devils last season, while the 30-year-old has started nine of the side’s 12 opening league games this season, underlining his status as a firm favourite of Mourinho’s.

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