Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has defended Marouane Fellaini after the midfielder was booed by sections of his own fans during Sunday's Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
The Belgian was initially jeered when he was sent out to warm up, and he was given another frosty reception when he replaced Ander Herrera in stoppage time of United's 1-0 victory.
Fellaini last week gave away a late penalty that allowed former club Everton to snatch a draw at Goodison Park, but Mourinho insists that he still has complete trust in the player.
Asked if he heard the boos, Mourinho told reporters: "I had that feeling, yeah. I had that feeling.
"I accept it because from the fans you have to accept everything and especially fans that are giving so much to us without getting so much from us. The only things they are getting from us is honesty, professionalism, dedication, but they are not getting the results they expect from us.
"They are so supportive, they can also be big critics, and I think the point was that they have in their mind the mistake that Marouane made at Everton and no more than that. He is a player that I like, he is a person I like and the person is even more important than the player. He will always have my protection and he will have always my trust."
Fellaini has made 12 Premier League appearances for United so far this season, but he has not started a match since the beginning of November.
Barney Corkhill
