Manchester United striker, Romelu Lukaku, says manager Jose Mourinho sees him as “his sergeant on the pitch”.
Since joining United from Everton for £90m in the summer, Lukaku has started 28 of 29 Premier League games, missing just the 2-0 win at Everton with concussion in January.
Mourinho has singled out his striker for individual praise at various points this season, insisting he is not only focused on goals but his overall contribution to the team.
Lukaku, speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool, feels like an important member of the United squad.
“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.
“I think the work rate I am delivering to the team is a lot and he knows he can come to me whenever. I will always put the team first ahead of myself and that’s something I told him, I said ‘the team is the most important thing’.
“The desire to win is bigger than ever since I came to this club, because I always wanted to win and to chase trophies. I always put that in front of my personal objectives and he knows that, and I think that’s the reason why I’m playing all the time,” he said.
Comments