Jose Mourinho Comments on Injured Manchester United Players After Swansea Win

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho criticised his team’s absent players in the aftermath of their 3-1 win over Swansea City on Sunday, suggesting some members of his squad lack durability.

After a torrid run of recent form, the Red Devils got back to winning ways against the Welsh outfit thanks to a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a stunning strike from Paul Pogba. Mourinho chose to field an unfamiliar defensive setup for the game and afterward didn’t pull any punches in his assessment of those who made themselves unavailable.

“There is a difference between the brave, who want to be there at any cost, and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference,” he said, per Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail. "If I were to speak with the many great football people of this team, they will say many times they played without being 100 per cent. For the team you have to do anything. That is my way of seeing."

As noted by Keegan, Mourinho didn’t make reference to any individuals, although he had hinted when speaking to MUTV that he was unhappy with Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw, who both sat the game out.

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The former didn't "feel that he can play 100 per cent with his pain," according to the manager, while the latter said "he was not in the condition to play." That meant Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian made up the back four. 

Per sports journalist Chris Winterburn, Mourinho made it clear he wants his players to put everything on the line for the team:

Perhaps that’s an attitude Mourinho needs more than ever after the Red Devils’ difficult run. The Old Trafford outfit were under big pressure heading into the Swansea game, having drawn 0-0 against Burnley last time out in the Premier League and lost to Fenerbahce in the UEFA Europa League.

However, there was a lot more verve about United at the Liberty Stadium, with Ibrahimovic, Pogba and Wayne Rooney all causing problems in the final third; they raced to a three-goal lead before the interval and were able to comfortably see the contest out.

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It was welcome relief for the manager, who has come in for a lot of criticism of late. Bleacher Report's Paul Ansorge doesn’t feel as though the scathing comments made about his players are necessarily a bad thing, either:

"

I think Mourinho's comments after the game speak to a manager trying to do things his way. Which is a very good thing imo.

— Paul (@UtdRantcast) November 6, 2016"

From the players' perspectives, playing when not fit can be dangerous. It’s crucial that there’s transparency between the squad and the medical staff.

Shaw, for example, missed much of the previous campaign because of a horrendous broken leg and is still striving for his best following a long recovery process. It’d only be natural for him, as part of this recuperation, to pick up niggles. Informing the manager of these knocks can be key to preventing long-term absences and potentially permanent damage.

But perhaps, as is often the case with Mourinho, we need to read between the lines. The manager has a reputation as a master motivator and a coach who can draw every ounce of effort out of his players. These words and the Swansea team selection were crystal-clear warnings to absent players. It’ll be fascinating to see how those scolded respond.