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Jose Mourinho has changed Manchester United’s ball boys to speed up play when his stars are on the attack.

I can reveal manager Mourinho drafted in players from United’s Under-16 team for the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford last Sunday after becoming dissatisfied with the previous standard.

Until then, the club’s ball boys and girls were provided by the Manchester United Foundation. But Mourinho wanted a slicker operation when the ball went out of play with his team either on the attack or up against the clock.

I understand Mourinho decided to make a change after the 2-0 home win over Hull in the EFL Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

(Image: Getty)

It’s believed he wasn’t impressed with the timing or delivery of the ball back to his players – and decided to draft in Academy youngsters.

They were given instruction on how to deliver the ball back to players when it goes out of play – and when to hurry up that process.

A United insider told PeopleSport: “The manager wasn’t happy with what was on offer before from the ball boys and girls. He wanted a much slicker operation — especially when United are on the attack or time is running out.

“He felt by bringing in lads from the Academy teams — boys who understand the nuances of the game and the urgency of certain occasions, it would help speed up play at crucial moments.

“Of course, people may speculate whether opponents are given the same courtesy if they are on the attack or chasing the game.”

(Image: Man Utd via Getty)

A United official confirmed: “Yes it’s true that Jose did change the ball boys for the Liverpool game.

“Prior to that, the task was carried out through the Manchester United Foundation but the manager changed it against Liverpool and brought in boys from one of the Acadamy teams.

“We aren’t sure what will happen at future games.”

Mourinho was no stranger to controversy involving ball boys in his time managing Chelsea.

When the Blues lost their first game of the season at Newcastle in December 2014, he accused the ball boys at St James’ Park of time wasting:

“Things were happening that the referee cannot control. He cannot punish the ball boy that disappears.

(Image: Rex)

"You may as well put a cow in the middle of the pitch and then stop the game because there was a cow. You cannot do just anything in football. Football needs a ball."

Exactly a year later, Mourinho laid into Leicester’s ball boys after his struggling league champions suffered an away defeat that saw him sacked a few days later.

“Leicester fought with everything. They defended with everything — and their ball boys were amazing too” he told Chelsea’s club website.

“I say the point about the ball boys because it’s a disgrace for the Premier League, but I don’t want that story to be in front of a result Leicester deserved.”

In March 2014, Mourinho escaped an FA sanction after telling a ball boy at Crystal Palace he “could be punched” for slowing down play.

The Chelsea boss felt the youngster was slow giving the ball to his full-back Cesar Azpilicueta in a 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park.

Mourinho said he had been trying to avoid an incident similar to the one in 2013 — under his predecessor Rafa Benitez — when the Blues' Eden Hazard was sent off for kicking at a Swansea ball boy who was lying on the ball in the second leg of a League Cup semi-final.