England boss Gareth Southgate claims Manchester United duo are genuinely injured
Three Lions chief defends Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw after Jose Mourinho rant
GARETH SOUTHGATE claims Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling are suffering genuine injuries.
Jose Mourinho slaughtered the pair for refusing to play through the pain barrier for Manchester United at Swansea on Sunday.
Southgate has left the pair out of the England squad for Friday’s clash with Scotland and Tuesday’s prestige friendly with Spain.
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The interim head coach said: “Chris hasn't played for quite a while and Luke has played but we've known he's had ongoing difficulties coming back from a very serious injury.
“Our medical teams – as with all the clubs – have been liaising very closely throughout the week.
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“The decision with Luke was a bit later but we've been aware both have been carrying injuries.
“I think when people saw me play they thought I was injured most of the time.
“In terms of what Jose said that's a club matter, it's not for me to comment on in terms of players playing with injuries.
“There's always a line for a player. I think players want to play, generally. In individual situations you need more information to be able to comment.
“It totally depends on what an injury - what part of the body, what are the ramifications...it's a very individual thing.”