Jose Mourinho: Latest On Henrikh Mkhitaryan And Chris Smalling Ahead Of Chelsea Clash

Manchester United managed to put behind the criticism from the goalless draw against Liverpool to get a comfortable 4-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League last night. It was an extremely comfortable victory for the Red Devils with Paul Pogba managing to score two goals and answer some of his critics. However, there was some bad news for the English outfit in the form of Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Both players appear to have come out with minor injuries from the game, according to manager José Mourinho.

Chris Smalling has been featuring in the United team once again after a short period on the sidelines. He was quite impressive in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Monday night. After starting alongside Eric Bailley, Smalling did not reappear in the second half and was replaced by Marcos Rojo. His performances did not seem to be the reason for the substitution and Mourinho later confirmed that the player had suffered a small muscular issue. The Portuguese remain hopeful that he will feature in the weekend’s game against Chelsea. Speaking to the club’s official site, Mourinho said:

“He had a bad muscular feeling. We were 3-0 up so we decided to change. Hopefully he can recover for the weekend.”

Meanwhile, Mourinho also provided an update regarding Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has not featured for the club since the Manchester derby at the start of September. The summer signing played the first 45 minutes against City, and fans have not seen him since then. It was rumoured that the manager was unhappy with the performances offered by the former Borussia Dortmund star. The rumours were intensified as Mkhitaryan was not even in the squad against Fenerbahce. As a captain of the Armenian national team, it may not be long before Mkhitaryan demands answers from the manager.

Mourinho, though, claimed that Mkhitaryan has to work more in order to get the same kind of intensity as the first-team regulars. He also hinted that the 27-year-old may not have the necessary fitness to play ahead of Juan Mata or other first-team names. He continued:

“The situation is that we played with Lingard, with Mata and Martial. I am not an Einstein, I don’t know a tactical system to play with four wingers at the same time. He has to work more to get the intensity and the real fitness to play at the high level.”

In the past, Mourinho has never shied away from dropping a player completely from the squad in order to bring him to his requirements. There have also been occasions when the tactics have completely worked against the Portuguese. One of the famous situations would be Mourinho’s criticism of Kevin De Bruyne, which led to his sale from Chelsea. The Belgian then became a £55 million signing for Manchester City and continues to be one of their best players.

Mourinho quoting the situation with regard to Memphis Depay gives potential warning signs to the career of Mkhitaryan at Old Trafford. Mkhitaryan has managed to appear in just 107 minutes of league football this season.

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Stoke City confirm interest in Manchester United defender Phil Jones

Stoke City are keen to bring Manchester United defender Phil Jones to the club as assistant manager Mark Bowen admitted "something may happen."

The England international has had a long list of injuries that have curtailed his United career since moving from Blackburn Rovers.

With Jose Mourinho seemingly set on Eric Bailly and Danny Blind as his centre-back pairing -- with Chris Smalling also in the mix -- Jones may be forced into looking away from Old Trafford for game time.

Stoke coach Mark Hughes is a firm admirer of the English defender, and assistant Bowen confirmed his boss' desire to see Jones in the red and white of Stoke.

"I remember Sam Allardyce talking about him when he broke through and said he was the new Duncan Edwards," he told the Stoke Sentinel.

"He did well as a youngster, got the big move, but it hasn't worked out for him there. I don't know how close we are or how far down the line it's gone.

"He's played the majority of his career at centre-half, but in his younger days he went into midfield as well.

"I don't know what's gone wrong, but he's gone from even a player Fergie Alex Ferguson was talking about as being someone who could have been one of the greats.

"But we have a bit of reputation for bringing players like that into this set up and then thriving. Fingers crossed, something may happen."

Jones, 24, only managed 10 Premier League appearances last season and has not made Mourinho's matchday squad for their first two games of the season.

Jose Mourinho considering major decision: International star could partner Chris Smalling

Man Utd centre-back Chris Smalling was taken to hospital on holiday in Bali but the trip ended with his engagement to photographer Sam Cooke.

Chris Smalling has spoken of his injury on holiday - which ended with the Manchester United defender becoming engaged.

United clarified Smalling suffered a bout of food poisoning in Bali last week and fainted, after it was suggested he had been stung by a jellyfish or suffered an accident while surfing, and a picture emerged of Smalling with a nasty gash on his eyebrow.

The club insisted Smalling was 'feeling fine' and the 26-year-old briefly touched upon last week's incident when revealing his engagement to fiancee Sam Cooke.

Smalling wrote on his social media sites: "Bali will be remembered for many reasons but the most memorable moment was when a certain Sam Cooke said yes!"

Smalling was taken to hospital but appeared to be well in a picture he posted with his partner.

The England international will travel with United to China on their pre-season tour next week, however Jose Mourinho has insisted Smalling, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford will not feature against Borussia Dortmund or Manchester City after their Euro 2016 efforts.

"I am taking the English boys that I was not expecting to come," Mourinho said.

"Fortunately they are coming. I will take them, but I am not going to play them.

"What is important is to work, to be together and to know each other - to live together for 24 hours every day during the week."

Chris Smalling most-worked player at Euro 2016 after 2015/16 with Manchester United and England

England defender Chris Smalling heads into Euro 2016 with more minutes on the clock than any other player but hosts France could be the most tired team heading into the tournament.

The Manchester United defender has started 61 games for club and country between July 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016 inclusive and racked up 5,472 minutes, coming out on top of the Press Association Sport Burnout Study of minutes played by the 552 players at the tournament.

Player burnout is often cited as a key reason for England's failure to make significant progress at major tournaments, but Roy Hodgson's men do not go to France with the most minutes played collectively. The hosts lead the way on 86,115 minutes with England fourth on 81,319 minutes. England are also behind Spain (83,641) and Portugal (82,655).

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The top four players with most minutes played are all based in England, with Liverpool's Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet second on 5,310 minutes, his Reds team-mate Nathaniel Clyne third on 5,213 and Reading's Wales international Chris Gunter fourth (5,134).

Most minutes played - players at Euro 2016

Rank	Player	Minutes
1	Chris Smalling (England)	5,472
2	Simon Mignolet (Belgium)	5,310
3	Nathaniel Clyne (England)	5,213
4	Chris Gunter (Wales)	5,134
5	Leonardo Bonucci (Italy)	5,078
6	Manuel Neuer (Germany)	5,061
7	Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland)	5,050
8	Toby Alderweireld (Belgium)	4,966
9	Antoine Griezmann (France)	4,923
10	Marek Suchy (Czech Republic)	4,842

The first player to feature in the top 20 who is not based in England is Italy and Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci on 5,078.  

At the other end of the scale, Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who was with Arsenal last season, has registered the fewest minutes for club and country - just 85.

Tomas Rosicky was rarely seen last season

His ex-Gunners team-mate Jack Wilshere, a controversial selection for the England squad after starting just one club match all season, was third overall in terms of fewest minutes played with 253.

The survey used publicly accessible 'minutes played' data available on thesoccerway.com website, and the competitions covered included domestic league and cup competitions -  excluding the Liechtenstein domestic cup - international club competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League or other continental equivalents and the FIFA Club World Cup, Euro 2016 qualifiers and senior international friendlies.

The data does not include minutes played in club friendlies, close-season tournaments such as the International Champions Cup, the Community Shield and national equivalents or under-age/youth competitions. It also does not include the UEFA Super Cup.

The data does not include stoppage time, and a substitute coming on at the start of the second half is regarded as playing 44 minutes in the study as this is how Soccerway designated them. An injury-time substitute (90+1 or later) did not gain any minutes played for the purposes of this study and players sent off in injury time were awarded the full 90 minutes.

Kyle Lafferty has excelled despite little club action

The German Bundesliga is unique among the 'big five' European leagues in being only an 18-team competition, and this is reflected in the data despite Bayern Munich reaching the Champions League semi-finals and winning Germany's domestic cup, the DFB-Pokal.

Total team minutes

Rank	Nation	Total minutes
1	France	86,115
2	Spain	83,641
3	Portugal	82,655
4	England	81,319
5	Germany	77,701

Northern Ireland were ninth in terms of most minutes played collectively (70,218) but Kyle Lafferty, whose 842 minutes placed him 14th on the list of players with fewest minutes played, was his country's top goalscorer in qualifying with seven and played more minutes at national level (473) than club level (369) during the study period.

Chris Gunter (left) has been Wales most active player

Incredibly, two Northern Ireland players registered even fewer minutes than Lafferty - Aaron Hughes (463) and Paddy McNair (792). Reading midfielder Oliver Norwood (5,050 minutes) played more minutes than any other member of Michael O'Neill's squad, putting him seventh overall.

The Republic of Ireland came in 12th out of the 24 competing nations in minutes played with 67,698. Derby defender Richard Keogh made the biggest individual contribution (4,816) to the minutes total of Martin O'Neill's men, while Stoke goalkeeper Shay Given played just 729 minutes.

Gunter was Wales' most active player over the survey period (5,134), in a total of 63,085 minutes which placed them 19th. George Williams (556) had played the fewest minutes of any individual in Chris Coleman's squad up to the end of May.

Chris Smalling's dog Miley thinks it's all Rover as England defender flies her out to Euro 2016

The Manchester United star loves his Cocker Spaniel, Jack Russell cross, who, judging by his girlfriend's Instagram snaps, is used to the high-life.

England’s Chris Smalling is flying his dog to join him at Euro 2016 .

The Cocker Spaniel, Jack Russell cross, called Miley, is being taken to France by his girlfriend Sam Cooke.

She posted a picture of Miley with her pet passport, saying: “France here we come..... #euros2016.”

Miley is used to the high-life and is possibly one of the most pampered pets in Britain.

In recent months, she has been pictured on Sam’s Instagram account enjoying the five-star lifestyle.

One snap showed Miley travelling by train from London to Manchester in first class, with a plate of chopped-up sausage in front of her.

Sam Cooke, Smalling's girlfriend, with Miley who's used to the high-life

Sam added the comments: “One spoilt pooch!

“Have to give it to her though! She’s made me proud in London!

“Been a dream. Loved the underground and the London bus’! She had a blast on her London holiday.”

Chris Smalling is likely to be at the heart of England's defence in France

Miley also enjoys regular grooming, having her coat curled in rollers, and gets her own seat in posh restaurants .

She has also been pictured accompanying Smalling to training and jetting on holiday with the couple.

Chris Smalling: My good form is down to Louis van Gaal’s faith

Chris Smalling has thanked Louis van Gaal for making him a stand-in captain at Manchester United this season.

Smalling picked up Man United’s Players’ Player of the Year award this week following an excellent campaign in which he has established himself as a key member of the squad for club and country.

When Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney have been absent this term, Smalling has taken on the responsibility of the captain’s armband. The defender praised van Gaal for the role he has played in his good form.

“[The captaincy] is a huge honour and it’s great that the manager has shown faith in me,” Smalling said.

“It’s nice that, after Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, I get the chance. It really adds to your own sense of leadership. It’s nice to win this award [for Players’ Player of the Year], but I’m looking forward to hopefully picking up another trophy at Wembley [after the FA Cup final] in a few weeks.”

Van Gaal’s tenure as United manager has seen a number of disappointments but Smalling’s form is certainly a huge success story for the Dutchman.

Centre-back Smalling had previously suffered at United due to injuries and being moved around defence but van Gaal has placed him in his best position on a consistent basis and the 26-year-old has reaped the benefits.

The challenge for Smalling now is to make himself an essential part of United’s hopes of success for years to come, in the same way that Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand did during the club’s last period of dominance.

Chris Smalling feels Manchester United need to bounce back quickly

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling feels his side need to recover quickly following their Europa League defeat on Thursday evening.

The Red Devils were undone 2-0 by Premier League rivals Liverpool in their first leg Last 16 tie, leaving United with it all to do ahead of next week’s second leg at Old Trafford.

Louis van Gaal’s charges have a short turnaround time ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final clash against West Ham on Sunday, and Smalling knows they need to bounce back immediately.

"We're obviously disappointed, but we need to recover and turn our attentions to Sunday," he said.

"We haven't got long until another game and we need to make sure we are as fresh as we can because it is another competition where we need to progress.

"We're all disappointed, but knowing we've now got two home games in both of those competitions, it's on us to take the game to West Ham and then move onto Liverpool."

The English centre-back feels the first game in the second leg will be of utmost importance, and hopes the United faithful will be behind the team.

"It is now on us to rectify it next week in front of our own fans,” he said. “I think the first goal is going to be crucial.

"I think night games have a different edge to them and I think our fans will be right behind us. It's down to us to deliver and put on a better performance.”

Kick off against the Hammers is set for 6pm on Sunday.