Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan is vital against Chelsea and Tottenham and needs Jose Mourinho to help him regain top form, The Manchester Evening News said on Friday, October 20.

For the second game in a row - Manchester United's Champions League tie against Benfica - Mkhitaryan was a passenger, and given he was struggling to find a teammate with a simple pass, withdrawing him earlier might have been kinder.

A couple of bad games is no reason to write off any player, but it is a sign a rest is due. Mkhitaryan has had a heavy workload so far this season, and has suffered more than most in the absence of Paul Pogba.

But while others around him have been rotated, Mourinho has written Mkhitaryan's name onto the teamsheet in apparently permanent ink.

The United manager has the options to give Mkhitaryan the advantages he provided toAnthony Martial and Marcus Rashford whohave been forced into a job share.

Juan Mata can play centrally, as can Jesse Lingard, the MEN says.

United have tough fixtures against Spurs and Chelsea coming up, for which they will need fit and firing Mkhitaryan. There are few in the league more dangerous than United's Armenian on top form.

Giving him a rest from the start in the next two games may be the quickest way for Mourinho to get him there, the publication says.