Manchester United news: Jose Mourinho under fire after Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling had painkilling injections

With Jose Mourinho questioning their commitment, the revelations cast doubt on the manager's motives for publicly criticising his own players

Jose Mourinho's criticism of Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw has been questioned after they played with painkilling injections (Getty)

The fallout of Jose Mourinho’s public criticism of Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw continues to rage on after it emerged that senior players in the Manchester United team have backed him in his belief that the two defenders are among those not fully committing to his plans.

Mourinho openly discussed Smalling’s and Shaw’s decisions to rule themselves out of Sunday’s Premier League victory over Swansea, and questioned whether they were willing to when not 100 per cent like some of their teammates.

The Portuguese’s comments have been met with a split reaction, with former professionals such as Alan Shearer agreeing with him in that the best players do play through the pain barrier, while England manager Gareth Southgate was keen to defend the pair and suggest that their injuries are genuine, having left them out of his England squad to face Scotland and Spain.

It appears though that the debate could yet cause more problems at United, as The Sun reports that the rest of Mourinho’s squad side with the manager despite both Smalling and Shaw playing this season after taking painkilling injections.

According to the report, Mourinho believes playing after having painkilling injections is normal for any top-level footballer, and the row has plunged both of their futures at Old Trafford in doubt given that Mourinho is already looking to overhaul his squad over the next two transfer windows.

Southgate was quick to defend Shaw on Monday and said that he has reported pain in the same leg that he broke in September last year. Shaw spent nearly a year out of action after he suffered a double leg fracture during the Champions League defeat by PSV Eindhoven, and has already withdrawn from the England squad once before this season having felt discomfort in his right leg.

The traumatic injury looks to have had a lasting impact on Shaw, but Mourinho is clearly not impressed by his attitude, and having already criticised him in public twice this season Shaw is now set for a spell on the sidelines even when he returns to full fitness.

Mourinho accused both Smalling and Shaw of betraying United’s “culture”, and it has even been suggested that he could look to sell the England internationals as part of his squad redesign.