José Mourinho has been brutally scythed down by Marcos Rojo midway through defending his player’s conduct during a live TV interview.

The Manchester United manager was just about to insist that Rojo is a clean player when he was unexpectedly floored by a studs-up, two-footed tackle to the shins.

Rojo had been widely condemned for a shocking challenge on Everton’s Idrissa Gueye, an action he repeated on Wilfried Zaha in last night’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

And he fundamentally undermined his manager’s attempts at exonerating him when he flattened him live on telly in a moment of madness.

Mourinho said: “Rojo is a good lad and he is playing well.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he is a cle…AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

“What the **** was that for?”

Rojo said: “Sorry gaffer, I thought I saw something moving.”

To which Mourinho said: “You stupid ****ing ****, what the ****ing **** do I say to these ****s now? ****!”

Mourinho is now set to sit out this weekend’s trip to West Bromwich Albion with ruptured Achilles tendon strings and a compromised metatarsal.