Summer buy unhappy playing wide in trio behind the striker – but the Old Trafford boss tells him: It’s down to performances.
NEW boy Henrikh Mkhitaryan is frustrated at not being played in his favourite position.
The Armenian made his first Manchester United start in Saturday’s 2-1 derby defeat — but was hooked at the break.
He repeatedly lost the ball and failed to break down the right as boss Jose Mourinho wanted.
But Mkhitaryan is not happy having to play wide in a three behind the striker.
That is where he has appeared in each of his four sub appearances too since his £30million switch from Borussia Dortmund.
Last term, the 27-year-old was voted best player in the Bundesliga after scoring 11 times with 15 assists, mainly from his favoured No 10 role.
But to fit him in there at United would mean captain Wayne Rooney being dropped or moved — and Mourinho is not prepared to do that.
The boss pulled no punches in his assessment of both Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard, also subbed at half-time on Saturday.
Mourinho said: “The performances are the deciding factor.
“Performances are the only way I can decide.
“So if you are asking me if they’ll play against Feyenoord, then no.”
United’s squad fly out to Rotterdam today for tomorrow’s Europa League opener — just don’t expect to see Mkitaryan.
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