Jose Mourinho aims thinly-veiled dig at Manchester United ace as trio cut holidays short to make it for Leicester City clash

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed three of the club’s players have cut their holidays short in an attempt to make it back in time for the start of the new season.

According to the Daily Mirror, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Phil Jones all hope to make it back for the club’s Premier League opener against Leicester City.

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This, however, led to Mourinho stating via the Mirror’s piece that the spirit among what he stresses is only the ‘majority’ of his squad is good, hinting that he’s not happy with some.

Given that this follows the Portuguese being quoted by BBC Sport as giving a short and blunt ‘I don’t know’ in response to whether Anthony Martial would be back for the team’s next game, it seems likely he was taking a thinly-veiled dig at the Frenchman over his absence.

Martial has left United’s pre-season camp to be with his new-born son, which Mourinho has already publicly criticised due to his slow return.

Anthony Martial is not currently on pre-season duty with Manchester United
Romelu Lukaku, however, looks set to return early for Manchester United

Speaking after the pre-season defeat to Liverpool, Mourinho was quoted in the Metro as saying: ‘Anthony Martial, he had the baby, and after the baby was born – beautiful baby, full of health, thank god – he should be here and he’s not here.’

Overall, Mourinho’s mood has not seemed good this summer and there will likely be further speculation about what this means for Martial.

The 22-year-old’s agent told RMC earlier this summer that his client wanted to leave the club, but no such exit has yet materialised.

More Stories Anthony Martial Jose Mourinho Marcus Rashford Phil Jones Romelu Lukaku