Manchester United defenders Cris Smalling and Luke Shaw were criticised by manager Jose Mourinho for allegedly refusing to play during their English Premier League football match against Swansea.
Shaw and Smalling were in the firing line after the Portuguese accused them of betraying United's "culture".
United won 3-1 on Sunday, with a brace from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and another from French international Paul Pogba during an impressive first half performance.
But Mourinho, serving a one-match suspension from the touchline after his rant at referee Mark Clattenburg last weekend, did not hold back.
"I have a friend who is a big tennis player and he tells me when he remembered more the times he plays with pain than the times he plays without pain. To compete, you have to go to the limit. It is cultural for some -- and this is not my culture. More than me, it is Man United," he was quoted as saying by the BBC.
"We have players with 'problems'. At every sport -- and I know because I have friends in others sports and they play at the highest level in their sport, and how many times they play when you are not 100 percent."
Mourinho was furious with Shaw after the left-back told Mourinho he was not able to play at Swansea on the morning of the game. Smelling, who has not played since United's 0-4 thrashing at Chelsea, also told the 'Special One' that he could not play due to an injury.
Henrikh Mkihtaryan, who came on during United's 1-2 defeat against Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Thursday night, was also missing from the win at Swansea.
--IANS
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