Jose Mourinho Comments on Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling's Injuries

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho questioned the resolve of injured Red Devils duo Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling in the wake of Sunday's 3-1 win over Swansea City.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two at the Liberty Stadium after Paul Pogba's sensational opener, but Mourinho didn't mince his words in his post-match press conference, suggesting he expects more players to play through the pain:

"

We have players with problems but we have on the pitch players with problems. That's what I mean.

I know in other sports - at the highest level - how many times you play and you are not 100 per cent.

I have a friend who is a big tennis player and he remembers more the times he played with pain than the times he played without any pain.

To compete you have to go to the limits. It's a cultural thing for some. That is not my culture.

"

Mourinho was also quizzed on whether Shaw and Smalling would have to change their mindset in the future. He responded: “Exactly. More for Manchester United than for me.”

Metro's Chris Winterburn provided further quotes from the Portuguese, who again reiterated the notion he isn't yet seeing the desired commitment from all the stars in his squad:

Smalling is perhaps the greatest absence after missing United's last four matches across all competitions and considering Daley Blind was also ruled out of Sunday's trip to Swansea.

Shaw, meanwhile, has featured in just two of the Red Devils' last six Premier League outings, and it's of little wonder Mourinho wants his first-choice left-back involved after he's showed sterling form this term.

United were forced to play with a makeshift back line on Sunday, where Ashley Young and Matteo Darmian lined up at right-back and left-back, respectively, while Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones started in the centre of defence.

Yahoo Sports' Liam Canning added more quotes from Mourinho's press conference in which he lauded Jones, Young and Rooney in particular—none of whom might have been in the squad's starting XI were the squad fully fit:

With or without a second-string defence, United were strong enough to seal a convincing win over their Welsh opposition, though Mike van der Hoorn did break through for a headed consolation in the second period.

Most supporters want to see their club's players give their all on a weekly basis, although the Guardian's Daniel Harris did give Shaw some reprieve, having missed a year after breaking his leg in September 2015:

Playing on through pain is a fairly common occurrence at the top level of football, but it appears Mourinho wants to see his players show more steel in the face of injuries if he's to get the results he desires.

Swansea may have rolled over in front of a weakened United team on Sunday, but the Red Devils will need a team closer to full strength for future opponents, those who are likely to put up far more of a fight.