Liverpool hero Danny Murphy has defended Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Murphy wrote for the London Evening Standard: "Jose Mourinho gets a raw deal. Not because of the criticism he gets for what he says — he is responsible for that — but for his 'boring' style of play.

"Look at the 2014-15 season, when he led Chelsea to the title. For two-thirds of that campaign, they played some unbelievable football.

"During the 2011-12 season, Mourinho's Real Madrid team won La Liga with a record number of points and goals.

"When people talk about his Inter Milan team that won the Champions League in 2010, they remember the semi-final second leg at Barcelona, when they resisted for 70 minutes with 10 men. They forget the first leg, which Inter won 3-1, playing some very attacking football early in the match.

"That is not the work of a negative manager. I believe Mourinho wants to play the game the right way and if he has a team of settled, confident players, he will."