Shots fired at Jose Mourinho? Ex-Man Utd defender Chris Smalling posts frosty thank-you message to sacked Roma boss in lengthy post defending his injury layoff

Mourinho took a cheap shot at the centre-back in recent months over his injuries, complaining that Smalling "could not play through the pain". The Portuguese coach was sacked by the Italian club this week and the experienced defender has taken to social media to open up about his situation.

He published a story on Instagram that read: "Since signing for AS Roma in 2019, my commitment and loyalty to the club has never wavered. The minute I stepped foot in Roma, I instantly felt at home. Roma is my home, and the relationship I have built with AS Roma fans is something I cherish dearly. For that reason I wanted to jump on here to address some of the rumours that I have seen circulating over recent months. Let me start by clarifying that I have never asked to, nor even contemplated, leaving this great club.

"Speaking openly, the last few months have proved to be some of the most frustrating of my career. There are things in this game and in life that we can control, and others we simply can't. This injury has been one thing that we couldn't. No footballer wants to spend their days in a treatment room, and this period of time away from my teammates has challenged me, with setback after setback. I have, and will always, put the needs of my team-mates first, but the absolute priority for the medical team is to guarantee that I can play a significant role in the latter part of the season and for seasons to come."

The 34-year-old managed to play the first three Serie A matches of the season before suffering an injury. He has been absent from the Roma team since the start of September and could only watch on as the capital club went on a dismal run that leaves them sitting ninth in the Italian top-flight - and eventually led to Mourinho's demise.

Former Manchester United defender Smalling will hope to be fit again soon so that he can help Roma climb up the league and fight for a place in Europe. It is not yet known when he will be back in action for the Italian club but will not be part of the team to face Hellas Verona on Saturday.