Sports: Man Utd news: Henrikh Mkhitaryan involved in huge bust-up with Jose Mourinho

Express, UK
Dec 17 2017
By Jack Otway

GETTY

Man Utd news: Henrikh Mkhitaryan clashed with Jose Mourinho

Manchester United star Mkhitaryan has fallen out of favour with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

The Armenia international has been omitted from seven of the last eight matchday squads amid fears over his ability.

Express Sport understands Mourinho is keen to replace the 28-year-old with Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, who previously played under Mourinho while at Real Madrid.

And ESPN claim Mkhitaryan became embroiled in a spat with Mourinho at the club’s training ground.

It is said he took issue with Mourinho’s disappointment at him following a substitute cameo against Brighton.

Speaking after the 1-0 win, Mourinho said: “That was enough [to drop him] because the others worked to have a chance. 

“Everybody works to have a chance. It’s as simple as that.”

ESPN say Mkhitaryan squared up to Mourinho in the corridors of the club’s Carrington training ground.

Yet Mourinho has remained tight-lipped about the confrontation when quizzed on the player’s future.

Meanwhile, speaking earlier this week, Mourinho explained why Mkhitaryan has been dropped in recent weeks.

"I can only have six [outfield] players on the bench and I try to have some balance on the bench — I had two defenders and [Daley] Blind who can play in different areas,” he said. 

“I had Ashley Young to cover me all of the wing and the wing-back position.

"I had [Ander] Herrera as a midfield player, Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] as a striker and Marcus [Rashford] as a second striker and winger. 

“I played [Anthony] Martial, [Juan] Mata and [Jesse] Lingard in the team. 

“To have Micki means that I don't have one of them and, in this moment, I believe the other ones they deserve [the chance to play]."