Mourinho: It is diffucult to play Martial and Rashford together

Bengaluru, November 20: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has lifted the lid on why it's difficult to play both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford together in a line-up.

The two youngster have frequently had to fight it out for a similar starting XI spot out on the left wing this season.

And with Romelu Lukaku's transfer to United, both the players had to settle for a winger role. But with Mata securing the right flank, both of them have to rotate with each other in the left wing and till now have shared the position to a great result.

Marcus has mostly started in most of the matches, however, Martial's recent impressive form gave both players a starting spot against Newcastle where Martial scored one and Rashford made an assist.

But now Jose Mourinho has uncovered that it is difficult for him to play both the players together as he feels both maintain a similar gameplay and putting both the players on the pitch can destabilize his formation.

“They both like to play in the same position and that is difficult,” Mourinho said. “They both prefer to play on the left than the right, both playing with another striker through the middle, we lose a point of contact with the midfield that we are used to, with the player playing behind the striker.

“But we found then a certain balance and when they start finding, sometimes both, one opening the left and one on the mid-left between the striker and the left winger, it was the moment where we start creating more.

“But to be honest Newcastle was probably the team, not in the second-half, but in the first-half which come here and we felt a bit of instability in our defensive areas, and that was clearly not because of the defensive players but because of our balance.

“So to play them [Martial and Rashford] together gives us things but also takes some things from us.”

Manchester United thumped Newcastle United last weekend by a 4-1 victory and are currently in second place, still eight points behind leaders Manchester City.