Rashford hits out on Mourinho, claiming that the Portuguese tactician kept saying 'you play there, you play there, you play there'

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford believes Jose Mourinho's tactics prevented him from playing his best football at Old Trafford. According to Rashford, forwards were given no freedom to swap positions during Mourinho's tenure.

The 23-year-old was in conversation with Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand for BT Sport when the question was posed to Rashford as to whether he felt Mourinho afforded players to play free-flowing football.

"Under Jose Mourinho I would say everything was a bit (points) 'you play there, you play there, you play there'. And yeah, you can do a job, but it was difficult for me to play my best football."

In Mourinho's time in charge - two and a half seasons - Rashford managed 28 goals for United. Since Mourinho departed Rashford has bagged 42 goals across a similar time period.

Rooney, who found his minutes at United reduced after Rashford's emergence, remembered one game in 2017 in which Mourinho's defensive approach left the young striker with lots to do.

"I remember a Chelsea game, I was on the bench. Marcus kept me out the team! I remember he (Jose) played with six in the back. And I remember thinking, Jose's put Marcus up top on his own. Unless he runs in behind, Chelsea and David Luiz with all that experience. If he comes to feet we're in trouble."

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Rashford scored the opener in that game, a 2-0 win, but there was a growing sense that Mourinho's focus on defensive solidity detracted from free-flowing attacking football.

Mourinho took charge of United in May 2016 and led them to League Cup and Europa League titles. But he was axed in December 2018 with United sixth, then 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool.