Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has refused to criticise the form of Marcus Rashford despite the youngster being without a Premier League goal since September.

The 19-year-old burst onto the scene during the closing months of last season with eight goals in 18 appearances across all competitions, but so far this term he has managed just seven in 40 games.

Mourinho claims that he has not been surprised by Rashford finding things more difficult this time around, but believes that the England international needs support rather than criticism.

"We have people that are not getting [taking] the opportunities and that's bad for the team. But I speak with them because when you give absolutely everything and you leave the pitch absolutely dead of work, that's fine for me," he told the club's official website.

"Marcus Rashford doesn't score goals since September [in the Premier League] – the only thing he deserves is support. Nothing else. Support, no critics, support. He works, he works, he works. He tries, he plays through the middle, he goes to the left, he goes to the right, he tries, he tries, he tries.

"The kid is desperate. It's not a surprise for me – the second year not being as good as the first one. Maybe one day I will try to find out if it happened with Ryan Giggs or someone. They appear as a kid and then the next year it's not the same. But the kid is phenomenal – an amazing professional. So no problem. I told him – keep going."

Rashford has just three Premier League goals in 24 appearances this term having hit five in 11 games last season.