Jose Mourinho Praises Marcus Rashford, Says He Started Celta Game with Injury

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho praised Marcus Rashford after his match-winning display against Celta Vigo on Thursday, revealing the youngster battled through an injury problem to start the game. 

Rashford scored the only goal in the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg, whipping in a second-half free-kick to give United the victory. Mourinho revealed the 19-year-old wasn't at full fitness and was taken off late on as a precautionary measure.

"He started the game with a little problem," he said to BT Sport, (h/t Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News). "And obviously with the running and continuity, he was feeling [it], and [Anthony] Martial was fresh, and he had to give us the last 10 or 15 minutes when we thought we could still score because of plenty of space to play."

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Rashford's goal put United a big step closer to the Europa League final, where they would face the winner of Ajax and Olympique Lyonnais' tie; Ajax won the first leg of their semi-final 4-1 at the Amsterdam Arena.

The Red Devils could have been looking at a similar scoreline, as Celta Vigo failed to make their mark on the contest. Rashford was the brightest player on show, committing opposition defenders, carrying the ball forward and conjuring a moment of magic.

Mourinho said after the match that Rashford is enjoying his football:

"He is a kid who finishes a training session and stays half an hour more every day to take free-kicks and to wait for the opportunity," the United boss added (h/t Pete Jenson and Tom Farmery of the Daily Mail). "It's his mentality. He works and works and works. He's very mature. He trains, he practices, he enjoys the extra work."

Having burst on to the scene last season, the England international didn't kick on quite as much as some would have anticipated in the early stages of 2016-17. But he's hit form at the perfect time for the Red Devils.

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In the previous round of the competition, Zlatan Ibrahimovic picked up an injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. Rashford netted an extra-time winner later in that game against Anderlecht to send United through and hasn't looked back. Since moving back up top from the wing, he's also scored against Chelsea, Sunderland and in Thursday's key encounter.

As noted by Kris Voakes of Goal, despite his tender years, Rashford seems to relish being the main man for United:

There's still a long way to go for Rashford, but he's a young footballer with the world at his feet. While he's at his best as a centre-forward, as illustrated by his recent displays, the teenager is versatile, industrious and boasts the searing pace and skill to quicken the pulses of those watching on.

Crucially, there's a strong temperament to match his talent, something that's evidently impressed his manager. Even at such a young age, Rashford is starting to write his name into United folklore in pursuit of a trophy the club has never won before.