Jose Mourinho provides injury update, hits back at criticism over Rashford and spokes on his fall at Wembley

Jose Mourinho provides injury updates and hits back at criticism over Rashford After a two-week break, Manchester United are back in action this weekend as they travel to Watford for the third away game of the new season. Victory on Saturday would give Watford a club record of five consecutive victories at the beginning of a league campaign. Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho faced the media ahead of the trip. Could Luke Shaw play vs Watford? I don’t know - we still have a training session. Contrary to some news, to some opinions, by the protocol point of view and according to our doctor, he will be free to play. The only situation we have to analyses is if you are going to play him when, during the week, he was not training with the team or if, even so, he decides to play. Manchester United give injuries update Fellaini is a doubt. Ander Herrera is out. He had one little problem in one medical in training during the week, so he is also a doubt. Diogo Dalot and Rojo play tonight with under-23s and if they play 90 mins like we expect, it will be the end of their recovery process and we will consider them ready to be back next week for full competition. What kind of test from Watford? It’s clear (the test). Four matches, 12 points. We know that three of these matches were at home, so in relation to the 12 points maybe we can speak about a little advantage in relation to other teams with two home and away. But fantastic start - 12 points is great for them. Good victories at home, strong performances, congratulations to Javi and to the players and to the club overall because it was a very good start. Jose Mourinho hits back at criticism over Rashford Speaking about Marcus, I think I can expect that Sunday I’m going to be highly criticised for not playing him tomorrow because some of the boys are really obsessed with me and some of them have a problem I think with some compulsive lies so I can expect that Sunday some of them will wake up in the morning as always the first thing they think that comes to their minds is Jose Mourinho. So I can imagine on Sunday I am going to be criticised for not playing Marcus but it is not my fault. He’s suspended so probably you should remind them he is suspended and cannot play. Performances with England, of course, I’m happy. He played well, competed well, he scored and especially in a period where he comes with some sadness after his suspension and was very good that he did that. If you don’t mind to lose a couple of minutes with me I’m going to do something, not for you but the United fans because I think I hold myself to the United fans and for them, I am going to spend two minutes with you. On the season 16-17, Marcus Rashford played 32 Premier League matches, 11 Europa League matches, including the final, three FA Cup matches, six League Cup matches, including the final, and the Community Shields. He had 53 appearances but if you want to take to the mins of play, he played 3,068 minutes and if you want to divide that by 90 minutes of the matches, he played 34.2 matches of 90 min matches in 16-17. In 17-18, he played 35 matches in the Premier League, eight in the Champions League, five in the FA Cup, including the final, three LC matches and the European Super Cup. He played a total of 52 matches with 2,676 mins if you divide that by 90, gives 29.7 matches. So with me, in two seasons, he had 105 appearances, 5774 mins, 63.7 matches of 90 mins, including five finals, so the people that are speaking about these minutes, I think they are a bit confused, Marcus Rashford is not Dominic Solanke, not Ruben Loftus-Cheek not Dominic Calvert Lewin, is Marcus Rashford, Man United player, with an incredible number of appearances and an incredible number of mins played at the highest level in the best possible competitions, so Manchester United supporters, for you and just for you, to know what we are doing with Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay, that’s what we are doing here. Jose Mourinho irritated by the perception about young players? It’s not a perception, some of the persons' everybody knows they have double salaries, they work also for the clubs and of course, they are not independent and they conduct things in the direction they want. That’s obvious, human, that’s natural, not ethical but I accept. The ones that wake up in the morning and the first thing that comes into their mind is Jose Mourinho, Manchester United, I feel sorry for them because there are much more interesting things than us and football. But for the Manchester United supporters is important they have the right idea of how things are in reality but the most important thing of all is that the kid is a good kid, a good player, knows what Manchester United did for him, starting in the academy, then Mr van Gaal support, then my support and the club’s support, new contract, new shirt, being selected for every single match. Since I was here, he was never one day out of selection because of my decision or because he was injured or suspended, he was never, never out of a selection. So he knows and that’s the most important thing, but the media is very important and is very important Manchester United supporters know the truth, that’s why I’m going so specific about these numbers. Fred's progress? Fred progress, I don’t know because I don’t see him for 15 days and the first time I’m going to see him is now. 15 days is gone so I don’t know about his progress. Who is obsessed with Mourinho? People that call me and ask me about my fall at Wembley because they need news from me. It was a good dive - I protect my phones. No penalty. maybe a yellow card!

United player defends confrontational management style of Jose Mourinho