Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has sent out a strong message to his players that they will receive the same treatment as Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw if they do not put the team in front of them.

Shaw and Smalling were publicly criticized by Mourinho after they told their manager that they were not fit to play against Swansea on Sunday (November 6). The Red Devils were already missing their key players- Antonio Valencia and Eric Bailly and Shaw and Smalling’s unavailability made Mourinho furious. Accusing the duo of being mentally weak, the Portuguese tactician said:“There is a difference between the brave, who want to play at any cost and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference. For the team, you have to do anything.”

Reports are also suggesting that the players are now fighting to save their careers at Old Trafford.

And now the former Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid boss have said that he will not tolerate such weak attitude from the players. According to reports in the Daily Mail, the Portuguese is confident of bringing back the glory days to Old Trafford and has told his players to toughen up to make it happen. The Red Devils have made a tough start under Mourinho but the Portuguese is adamant that he can turn things around.

Meanwhile, England interim manager Gareth Southgate has defended Shaw by saying:“Luke I know well and Luke’s had a really tough injury. I think very often it’s easy to look from the outside or to make judgments on people without knowing them really, really well.”

Shaw’s international teammate Adam Lallana also defended him by saying:“He’s a very strong boy. He’s had a horrific leg injury. You don’t come back from that without being mentally and physically strong.

“Speaking of the injury itself, you don’t come back from a leg break like he had without having difficult times mentally on your own.

“You don’t come back from that unless you are strong.”