Mourinho blasts close Pogba ally over ‘attitude concerns’

Matt Stead

Jose Mourinho has privately ‘reprimanded’ Marcus Rashford as ‘concerns’ over the Manchester United player’s ‘attitude’ emerge.

The relationship between Mourinho and Rashford has been scrutinised in recent weeks, with some suggesting the player should leave United because he is not receiving the support and opportunities he deserves.

Mourinho sought to defuse the situation by dedicating an entire press conference defending his stance on the striker earlier this month, while even England manager Gareth Southgate has backed the Portuguese.

But the pair do not appear to be on the best of terms, with Mourinho laying into Rashford ‘for failing to complete a proper warm-down’ after the Champions League victory over Young Boys.

Rashford started and played 69 minutes in Switzerland, but the Daily Mail claim he ‘did not follow the instructions from coaching staff after the game’ when he was substituted.

As a result, Mourinho has ‘warned Rashford that he is not too important to do as he is told’, as the manager ‘cracks down on his stars’.

Chris Wheeler reports that ‘there have been concerns about Rashford’s attitude’ since he returned from World Cup duty with England, while his friendship with Paul Pogba might also pose an issue.

Mourinho and Pogba have clashed publicly in recent weeks, and Rashford ‘is understood to be on the periphery of a young group close to Pogba that includes Anthony Martial, Eric Bailly and Andreas Pereira’.

Mourinho, aware that his feud with Pogba ‘could split the United camp in two’, is ‘determined to assert his authority on the squad’.