Jose Mourinho is a man who will not react well to being left embarrassed.
Then again, he should have thought of that before he called out Chris Smalling over his injury.
The centre-back declined to play in Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Swansea, prompting his manager to criticise him – and fellow absentee Luke Shaw – for not playing through the pain.
A few days later, and it’s been confirmed via the Daily Mail that Smalling has a broken toe and may not even play before Christmas.
If anything, it’s probably more painful for Mourinho than for Smalling himself – and it should be a lesson not to hit out at his players before he knows all the facts.
Against Chelsea, the England international was asked to have injections in his foot, but his performance clearly suffered as the Red Devils slumped to a 4-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
It leaves Mourinho praying injury-prone Phil Jones can stay fit, as Smalling’s partner Eric Bailly is also in the treatment room.
United welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford in just over a week’s time.
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