Jose Mourinho praises Victor Lindelof for adapting to Manchester United defence

Image: Victor Lindelof has started in Manchester United's last three Premier League fixtures

Jose Mourinho has praised Victor Lindelof for the way the defender has adapted to the Manchester United defence.

United made it three Premier League victories on the bounce with their 4-2 success over Watford and Lindelof impressed with a composed performance.

Lindelof, who arrived at Old Trafford in the summer after a big-money move from Benfica, struggled to settle in the opening weeks of the campaign but has started United's last three league fixtures and dealt with the threat posed by Andre Gray and Richarlison for the majority of the contest at Vicarage Road.

Image: Lindelof battles for possession against Watford's Richarlison on Tuesday night

"I think Richarlison is a very good player and a difficult player to play against but Victor is very fast," Mourinho told MUTV.

"He has adapted to play centrally but also to go to the sides because he's got the agility that many of the central defenders don't have. I think it was another very positive performance by Victor."

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Image: Lindelof congratulates Ashley Young, who scored twice against Watford

Mourinho's side moved to within five points of leaders Manchester City and despite a second-half collapse where Watford scored twice within seven minutes, Lindelof showed why he has established himself in the starting line-up.

Another player to have impressed Mourinho is Anthony Martial, who has battled with Marcus Rashford for a starting spot this season.

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Image: Anthony Martial is another player to impress Jose Mourinho this season

The France forward scored the third against Watford, his sixth Premier League goal of the season, but Mourinho believes the 21-year-old has more to offer.

"I am pleased," Mourinho said of Martial's performance. "I think he suffers a little bit with accumulation of matches. I could feel that in the second half he was going down and down and down.

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"He's still a young guy and his body, his biological situation has space to improve but in the first half, during the time, he had strength and explosion in his legs. He was dangerous and scored an important goal."

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