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LONDON. – Jose Mourinho has a habit of destroying players and his latest victim is Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, claims Garth Crooks. The England international laid on both of United’s comeback goals in a 2-2 draw at Southampton having been 2-0 down after just 20 minutes.

Goals from Stuart Armstrong and Cedric Soares rocked the visitors, playing with just the one recognisable centre-half, before Rashford managed to salvage Mourinho’s side, driving at Southampton’s shoddy defence to tee up Romelu Lukaku and then Ander Herrera.

Rashford, who was back starting through the middle on the south coast, has struggled to replicate his form for England at club level, and Crooks is pointing the finger at Mourinho.

“This really can’t go on,” Crooks wrote in his BBC Sport column. “Jose Mourinho is killing Marcus Rashford.

“The lad pulled Manchester United from the jaws of defeat at Southampton and then Jose gave the one man who was desperate to win the game for him the hook? It made no sense.

“The kid was on a roll and anyone who has played the game could see that. Mourinho may have won trophies but he destroys players in the process. He is doing to Rashford what he did to Arjen Robben at Chelsea.

“Rashford must get out of United now before what little confidence he has left is destroyed.”

Mourinho, though, did have his reasons for Rashford’s substitution, saying after the game at St, Mary’s: “Fatigue, he was injured, he was asking to come out.

“It was not that kind of injury, some players with that kind of injury do not play for two weeks but Marcus, I am pretty sure will be fine for the next one.

“But it’s one kick here, one kick there, one fall here, one fall there. Fatigue, lots of running, lots of movement, 75 minutes and he was done and we tried then with Martial replacing him.” – The London Evening Stabdard.