manchestereveningnews.co.uk Thursday 5:41 PM GMT Manchester United forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan needs to be protected by Jose Mourinho Man Utd star Henrikh Mkhitaryan is vital against Chelsea and Tottenham and needs Jose Mourinho to help him regain top form. By Alex Porter There was little surprise when the board went up after 83 minutes ofManchester United'sChampions Leaguetie against Benfica andJuan Mata's number was up. The diminutive Spaniard is yet to complete the full 90 so far this season. It has been a feature of the season so far to see Mata depart ahead ofHenrikh Mkhitaryan, who limped along until stoppage time. But if there was one match when Mata might have outlasted his teammate, the one in Lisbon was surely it. For the second game in a row, Mkhitaryan was a passenger, and given he was struggling to find a teammate with a simple pass, withdrawing him earlier might have been kinder. But it isn't too difficult to see the reason why Jose Mourinho is tempted to leave the Armenian on the field as long as possible. A total of two goals and five assists in 11 competitive United fixtures is an impressive yield for the playmaker who can turn a match in an instant. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho reminds rivals why they should be feared Swansea in August provided the blueprint. Mkhitaryan was struggling to influence the game until two brilliant late assists for Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba. But the 28-year-old has now had two stinkers in succession, and he was also quiet in the game immediately preceding the international break against Crystal Palace. A couple of bad games is no reason to write off any player, but it is a sign a rest is due. Mkhitaryan has had a heavy workload so far this season, and has suffered more than most in the absence of Paul Pogba. But while others around him have been rotated, Mourinho has written Mkhitaryan's name onto the teamsheet in apparently permanent ink. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have both sizzled this season, but have been forced into a job share. Mata has been in good form but did not start at Anfield and has played three fewer games than Mkhitaryan, while Jesse Lingard's position is getting increasingly chilly. But Mourinho has a different treatment method for the player signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2016. It all flies in the face of 12 months' ago, when one bad half against City ensured he did not feature for United for six weeks and his confidence suffered. But being forced through a series of bad performances can also be damaging to morale. Manchester United player ratings: Marcus Rashford and Victor Lindelof class Mourinho has spoken at length about the benefits Martial and Rashford have been given when coming off the bench against tired limbs that have been ravaged by their teammates for 75 minutes, and the two young forwards are going from strength to strength. The United manager has the options to give Mkhitaryan the same advantages. Mata can play centrally, as can Lingard - who is no slouch and has scored in two Wembley finals for United in the last 18 months. It does not have to be a case of going all out attack with Rashford and Martial either side of Lukaku. Seeing Mkhitaryan coming on late, with his guile and quick brain, is likely to spark fear in the majority of defences - especially combined with the speed and power of his teammates. United have tough fixtures against Spurs and Chelsea coming up, for which they will need fit and firing Mkhitaryan. There are few in the league more dangerous than United's Armenian on top form. Giving him a rest from the start in the next two games may be the quickest way for Mourinho to get him there. Get all the latest Manchester United news first with our new app.Download it here now.