Mourinho has key decisions over Martial and Rashford at Manchester United
Last season's impressive young players Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have had a tough start to the season at Man Utd.
Twelve months ago both young players were unknown to the larger football audience.
This week last August Rashford was a 17-year-old in United's academy. The Wythenshawe striker featured for the Under 18s at Altrincham against Derby County.
Rashford didn't score in the young team's 3-2 win in front of a handful of spectators at the J.Davidson Stadium.
Twenty four hours later in France, Martial was an unused substitute for Monaco in Toulouse. Just short of 13,000 had turned up at the Stadium Municipal for the Ligue 1 match.
Just over a week later and the 19-year-old Frenchman rocketed to stardom via his headline-making £35m move to Old Trafford on the last day of the 2015 summer transfer window.
He was to be an instant hit with his substitute appearance and individual goal on his debut against Liverpool.
Six months later and Martial's injury in the pre-match warm up before the Reds faced Danish side Midtjylland at Old Trafford forced Louis van Gaal to promote Rashford for his first-team debut.
The Mancunian was also an instant star as his February two-goal start helped see off the Danes in a 5-1 win and saved United from Europa League embarrassment, having gone down 2-1 in the first leg.
The young pair ended the campaign with 25 United senior goals between them. Both went to Euro 2016, Martial with France and Rashford with England.
But now comes the selection problem for Mourinho.
Martial didn't have a good Euros with the hosts and his form has been subdued for United in the opening two Premier League games against Bournemouth and Southampton.
He also had the number nine shirt taken off him and that was handed to new arrival Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Rashford was barely used by former England boss Roy Hodgson at the European Championship, didn't start for Mourinho in United's pre-season friendlies and has been an unused sub in the opening league games.
Martial and Rashford face the potentially damaging second season syndrome effect and how Mourinho handles them will be crucial. Neither of their careers can be categorised as flat lining but a key crossroads is not far off.
With the new United manager opting for the experience of Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney as the point of his attack, Martial has continued in his wide role and Rashford cannot get a look in.
At some point Martial may have to be pulled from the firing line to save him from the intense spotlight that will build up and Rashford allowed back into the frame to stop him from treading water and becoming frustrated.
How long do you allow Martial to find his form before it overwhelms him? How long do you allow Rashford to stew until it irritates him?
The timing of the decisions for both parties will be vital.
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