Why Lukaku is like a 'sergeant' for Mourinho
Jose Mourinho has reacted to Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku's claim about being the 'sergeant' out on the field.
The Belgian spoke to Sky Sports this week and commented: "I think the manager in his mind thinks that I'm like his sergeant on the pitch, and that's strange for a striker because it's usually the midfielders.
"I've always worked hard and I'm grateful but at the end of the day, I'm a striker and I have to score goals. He has been really good but I think he knows I have that soldier mentality."
It led to the boss being asked what he thought the top scorer meant as he previewed Saturday's game against Liverpool, when Lukaku will be hunting the 100th Premier League of his career.
"I don't know," replied Jose. "I had a laugh with him, that's fine. He's an important guy for me, he's one of the guys that I trust, that I love the attitude, that I love the character.
"Against Crystal Palace, there was nothing that happened after our third goal, but I told him, 'central defender' so, after the third goal, he was playing central defender in the back five with [Chris] Smalling and [Victor] Lindelof, because I couldn't make any more changes.
"So when I say to a striker, go there and do the job for me, he's a sergeant, you know. He's a guy that you can trust, his attitude is phenomenal.
"That's why I've always thought and told you many times that, for me, it's not just about the goals he scores, but what he brings to the team and he brings to the team exactly that - that spirit."