Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said in an interview with "BBC Sport" that the reason midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has not featured in recent weeks comes down to adapting to the league's tempo.

"Mkhitaryan is not injured. Sometimes I confuse the meaning 'fit' in English language," the manager said. "Sometimes fit is ready to compete.

"Some players are really adapted to come and play and not to feel. Some players they need time, to feel it, to feel the intensity, time to feel the aggression, the game without the ball."

The summer arrival from Borussia Dortmund has only played in three Premier League matches this season and has yet to feature since recovering from a thigh injury earlier this month.