Former Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer has sought to ease tension with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho branded De Boer the "worst manager in Premier League history" after the Dutchman questioned his management of Marcus Rashford.

De Boer has refused to bite back and instead told AD: "While I meant nothing personal about it, when I said something about how Mourinho plays and about the role that Rashford has under him at United. That way of playing, that is a different view than we are used to in the Netherlands.

"But in the philosophy of Mourinho and Manchester United that is different. And that is their good right.

"Rashford is the greatest English talent in his age group.

"I have a lot of respect for Mourinho as a trainer. He has won trophies, is tactically very strong, knows how to disrupt the game of every opponent. Well, I can learn a lot from that."

De Boer, on working in the English media, smiled: "But: it is a lesson for me. Apparently, you have to keep as far as possible on the plains. Although I think you can sometimes say what you think."