The Mirror, UK
 Wednesday 7:47 PM GMT


Rio Ferdinand pinpoints the exact reason why Jose Mourinho is dropping
Henrikh Mkhitaryan

The Armenian was left out of Jose Mourinho's matchday squad to face
Basel despite flying out to Switzerland with the squad, and supporters
can only see one outcome

 By Mark Jones


Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand feels the performances of Paul
Pogba mean that Jose Mourinho has no choice but to dropHenrikh
Mkhitaryan.

Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday night when the Armenian was left out
of the squad to face Basel in the Champions League, despite flying
over to Switzerland with the rest of the players the day before.

Mkhitaryan was also left out of the weekend win over Newcastle,
throwing his future at United into doubt after a poor few weeks.

And United legend Rio Ferdinand pinpointed exactly why he's being left
out before his former club took on Basel.

Speaking on BT Sport, he said: "I think earlier in the season
Mkhitaryan was providing assists.

"But importantly when Paul Pogba was out, Jose Mourinho wanted someone
to be a creator, and to go out and take games by the scruff of the
neck, but he didn't produce in that sense. He was left wanting.

"Pogba's such a huge player in terms of creativity. Romelu Lukaku
needed someone to create for him, Pogba was doing it but Mkhitaryan
wasn't.

"Jose doesn't mess about, he makes a decision and he sticks by it.
He's calculated in what he does."

On Twitter, United fans felt that the midfielder's absence pointed
towards one thing.


Could he be on the move soon?

Does Henrikh Mkhitaryan need to leave Manchester United?