Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has admitted that he feels sorry for Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku regarding Jose Mourinho's tactics.

The Belgian international has scored 22 goals for the Red Devils this season following his £75m switch from Everton last summer.

On Sunday, the 24-year-old was one of United's star performers as he scored one goal and set up the other in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford.

In other games, though, the forward has cut a frustrated figure, and Shearer believes that the reason is midfielders Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera.

"I do have a little bit of sympathy for [Lukaku] because sometimes the way Man Utd play and the way Mourinho wants them to play with either Herrera or Matic," the pundit told BBC Sport.

"Once the midfielder gets the ball not always are their first thought is 'can I get the ball forward', sometimes their first thought is 'I'll go to the left, or I'll go back or I might even go to the right'.

"But, if it were to happen more often and look forward first and play that ball forward that makes it so much easier for a centre forward to cause problems."

Lukaku has scored seven goals in his last 10 games in all competitions for United.