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Mourinho slams scrutiny surrounding Smalling

Jose Mourinho refused to discuss Chris Smalling's injury situation at Manchester United and hit out at the recent media speculation surrounding the defender.

Mourinho appeared to question Smalling and team-mate Luke Shaw's commitment after they pulled out of the squad with minor injury concerns prior to the 3-1 victory over Swansea City.

When asked for an update on his fitness ahead of Saturday's game against Arsenal at Old Trafford, Mourinho insisted he would not indulge scrutiny surrounding the 26-year-old.

"Chris Smalling, you cannot ask," he told a news conference. "You have your sources, you trust your sources, you write what they tell you and you did that for 15 days. So you are not going to ask me to comment on your sources' information. 

"You wrote, you spoke, you comment, you criticised. That's fine for me. I don't say a word about Chris Smalling."

"Luke Shaw, yes. He worked well in this period when we had a very small group. He's ready to play," he said. 

"I don't have any problem with him. I'm not saying he plays or he doesn't but he's my player, a young player with potential. He has things to learn and improve but he has my confidence. Playing now, with five matches in two weeks, in three different competitions, for sure he's going to play."