Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been dropped by Jose Mourinho following a poor run of form (Picture: Getty)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is spending extra time in the gym in an attempt to win over Jose Mourinho and resurrect his Manchester United career, according to the MEN.

The Armenia international made an impressive start to the season, equaling a Premier League record that had stood since 1994 by recording five assists in the first three games of the new campaign.

Mkhitaryan’s form has tailed off badly in the last month or so, however. The 28-year-old was omitted from the matchday squads for the recent matches against Watford and Newcastle, while he made only a late substitute appearance in last weekend’s win over Brighton.

Jose Mourinho gives instructions to Jesse Lingard
Jesse Lingard impressed in Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s absence on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)

Mourinho on Mkhitaryan

‘I was not happy with his last performances. I’m not speaking about one or two, I’m speaking about three, four or five

‘He started the season very well and after that, step by step, he was disappearing.

‘His performance levels in terms of goal scoring and assists, high pressing, recovering the ball high up the pitch, bringing the team with him as a No.10, were decreasing step by step.

‘That was enough because the others worked to have a chance. Everybody works to have a chance. It’s as simple as that.’

The MEN claims the former Borussia Dortmund playmaker has been been putting in the hours away from the club’s Carrington training complex having been accused of ‘disappearing’ in recent matches by his manager.

Manchester United face Arsenal in a heavyweight Premier League clash at the Emirates stadium on Saturday and it is unlikely that the Armenia international will have forced his way back into the starting line-up, especially given Jesse Lingard’s impressive performance in the win over Marco Silva’s side.

Reports last week claimed Mourinho hoped to spark an improvement in the £32million signing by keeping him out of his starting XI, a tactic which has worked wonders with Anthony Martial who is enjoying a stellar campaign.

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