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Tag: Manchester United

  • We’re enjoying our football, says Pogba after stellar performance

    We’re enjoying our football, says Pogba after stellar performance

    Paul Pogba says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made Manchester United’s players enjoy themselves since taking over at Old Trafford.

    Pogba has scored four goals in three games since Solskjaer’s arrival as interim boss after his double in the 4-1 win over Bournemouth, with the Frenchman’s rocky relationship with former manager Jose Mourinho now appearing far behind him.

    When asked what the Norwegian had changed since his arrival, Pogba told Sky Sports: “Maybe we have relaxed, realised we are Manchester United and to keep up you need to be on the top of the league.

    “It’s the reaction of the players, everybody is enjoying themselves and that’s what we need. The team need to enjoy their football, work for each other and that’s it. That’s the result on the pitch.”

    United have scored almost a third of their Premier League goals this season in the three games since Solskjaer took over – as well as enjoying a 100-per-cent winning record so far.

    The side were regularly criticised for their brand of football under Solskjaer’s predecessor Mourinho, and Pogba opened up on what has changed under the Norwegian after their third win in eight days.

    “It’s different,” he said. “We won games with the old manager, so it’s just a different style of playing. We’re more offensive, we create more chances, but we try to play like that.

    “It’s how we want to play, we want to attack. The manager wants to attack and that’s what we are doing.”

     

  • EPL: Transformed Pogba scores brace as Man Utd redeem glory

    EPL: Transformed Pogba scores brace as Man Utd redeem glory

    Paul Pogba scores twice as Manchester United beat Bournemouth 4-1 to earn them third straight win under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    A first half of cavalier attacking football saw United score three times, with Paul Pogba netting his second double in successive games and Marcus Rashford grabbing the other.

    They are now only three points behind fifth-placed Arsenal, having trailed by eight following the morale-sapping 3-1 defeat at Liverpool earlier this month.

    Paul Pogba is the first United player to score at least twice in consecutive Premier League appearances since Wayne Rooney in December 2012.

    Pogba poked in his first after Rashford had mesmerised both Nathan Ake and Diego Rico on the right, before the French World Cup winner headed in from Ander Herrera’s precise delivery.

    It was 3-0 when Anthony Martial, back in the XI after recovering from a bug, provided a wonderful cross for Rashford to slide his shot past Asmir Begovic.

    Bournemouth, who had looked dangerous on set-pieces, pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time when Ake headed in following good work by David Brooks.

    Substitute Romelu Lukaku scored United’s fourth from Pogba’s pass two minutes after coming on, before defender Eric Bailly was shown a straight red card for scything down Cherries midfielder Ryan Fraser.

    United have now found the net 12 times in the three matches since Solskjaer took over. This victory means the the 45-year-old has emulated Sir Matt Busby and Jose Mourinho by winning his first three league games in charge.

    Solskjaer will be looking to make it a fourth at Newcastle on Wednesday, while Bournemouth remain 12th in the table.

     

     

  • EPL: Lukaku, Sanchez must do it themselves – Solskjaer

    Manchester United forwards Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku “have to do it for themselves” on the pitch, says interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    Sanchez, 30, and Lukaku, 25, appeared to fall out of favour under former manager Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

    Solskjaer said he has given them “guidelines” on expressing themselves but that it is “up to them” to perform.

    Sanchez last featured for United against Crystal Palace in November because of a hamstring injury.

    Lukaku, a £75m signing in 2017, has not played in Solskjaer’s first two games in charge, but has returned to training before Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth in the Premier League.

    He has scored six goals in 16 league games this season, while Sanchez, who joined from Arsenal in January, has one goal in 10 matches.

    “Romelu, Anthony [Martial] and Alexis they were light, light [training] yesterday so hopefully they can join part of the training today and let’s see after how they come through,” Solskjaer said on Friday.

  • Neville names Pogba best midfielder in Europe

    Neville names Pogba best midfielder in Europe

    Manchester United star, Paul Pogba is the “best midfielder in Europe” on his day.

    This claim was made by former Red Devils defender, Phil Neville.

    Neville stated this following Manchester United’s 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town on Wednesday in the Premier League.

    The ex-England international showered praise on Pogba, who scored two goals for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side as they defeated Huddersfield at Old Trafford.

    He, however, believes there’s nobody better than the France international in his position when he’s on form.

    “Paul Pogba on his day is the best midfielder in Europe,” Neville told Match of the Day.

    Pogba will hope again to lead Manchester United to victory when they tackle Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.

  • EPL: Paul Pogba is happy now, says Solskjaer

    Paul Pogba “is happy now” after returning to goalscoring form for Manchester United, says interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    The midfielder – who had a fractured relationship with previous boss Jose Mourinho – scored twice in Wednesday’s 3-1 home win over Huddersfield.

    That followed two assists in a 5-1 win at Cardiff in Solskjaer’s first game.

    “I was very pleased for him and the whole team. He loves football and has a big smile,” Solskjaer told BBC sport.

    Pogba has been involved in four goals in two games under Solskjaer – the same amount as in his final 12 Premier League games under Mourinho before his sacking. The World Cup winner only played 15 minutes in the Portuguese’s final three games in charge.

    Former United reserve team manager Solskjaer worked with Pogba during the Frenchman’s first spell at Old Trafford.

    “That’s the Paul I have known since he was in the reserves and youth team,” said the United legend.

    “He’s always been a happy boy, a big smile on his face and when you score two you’re happy. It’s a response and Paul loves playing for this club. He’s a Manchester United boy through and through and knows what it means to play for the club.”

  • EPL: Man Utd can make top four – Luke Shaw

    EPL: Man Utd can make top four – Luke Shaw

    Manchester United can still qualify for the Champions League after winning in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game in charge, says left-back Luke Shaw.

    United won 5-1 at Cardiff in the first match since sacking Jose Mourinho and putting their former striker Solskjaer in interim charge.

    They are sixth in the Premier League, eight points behind Chelsea in fourth.

    “Of course we want the top four; we want to be playing in the Champions League next season,” Shaw said.

    “I don’t see why we can’t if we keep playing like that.”

    United are in this season’s Champions League and face Paris St-Germain in the last 16.

    Shaw played the full game against Cardiff, having been dropped for Mourinho’s final three Premier League games in charge.

    The England defender was one of several United players to fall out with the Portuguese during his two and a half years in charge.

    “People might be quick to forget what Jose did for United – the three trophies he won – he did a lot,” said Shaw, referring to the fact that Mourinho won the Community Shield, Europa League and FA Cup in his first season, 2016-17.

    “One of the trophies [Europa League] was one we had not won before, and he took us to three trophies in one season. So those people need to respect him and remember what he did.”

    BBC

  • Solskjaer resurrects Man Utd with 5-1 win at Cardiff

    Solskjaer resurrects Man Utd with 5-1 win at Cardiff

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got off to a perfect start as Manchester United’s interim manager with a 5-1 thrashing of his former club Cardiff.

    The former United striker succeeded boss Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in midweek, and got his first win courtesy of a performance that will encourage United fans as some of their more marginalised talent came to the fore in a performance full of attacking intent.

    Marcus Rashford’s stunning free-kick, a deflected effort from Ander Herrera and a fabulous team goal by Anthony Martial effectively won the contest before half-time for a United side inspired by the recalled Paul Pogba, who had a hand in all three first-half goals.

    Victor Camarasa’s penalty briefly gave Cardiff hope as they reduced the arrears to 2-1, but Jesse Lingard won and scored a contentious second-half penalty and then rounded Neil Etheridge to tap into an empty net at the death to make the result safe.

    It is the first time United have scored five goals in a Premier League game since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game in charge – a 5-5 draw with West Brom in May 2013.

    BBC

  • Mourinho’s sack: Man Utd players got away with Murder – Keane

    Manchester United players “got away with murder” and behaved “shamefully” towards sacked manager Jose Mourinho, says former captain Roy Keane.

    Keane said it was indicative of modern players’ behaviour, whom he says are “very weak human beings”.

    “You would fall out with these players,” Keane told BBC Radio 5 live.

    “Players who turn up overweight, do not train properly and are not producing… for some to down tools, shame on some of those players.

    “I am not Jose’s biggest fan, but I can’t tolerate footballers who hide behind agents, their pals in the media – it is a bit of a joke.”

    Keane added that, “the players got away with murder. They hide behind the manager. They have thrown him under the bus.”

  • EPL: Man Utd will enjoy football again – Solskjaer

    EPL: Man Utd will enjoy football again – Solskjaer

    Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he will “get the players enjoying football” again following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

    United appointed their former striker as boss until the end of the season on Wednesday, a day after Mourinho was dismissed.

    Solskjaer, 45, takes over with United sixth in the Premier League.

    The Norwegian told MUTV that he wanted to see the players “express themselves” during the rest of the campaign.

    “We will get the players enjoying football and looking forward to seeing the supporters again,” he said.

    He also promised fans that he would “give everything” to “bring the club success” and get players “enjoying football”.

    “We have to get used to winning again and challenging for trophies,” he added.

    “Whatever has happened has happened and everyone starts with a clean slate.”

    Solskjaer’s first match in charge will be at Cardiff on Saturday, where he had an eight-month spell as manager in 2014.

  • Carrick clash with Pogba in training-ground over Mourinho’s sack

    Michael Carrick reportedly clashed with Paul Pogba on the training ground, following Jose Mourinho’s sack at Manchester United.

    Mourinho was fired on Tuesday, just 11 months after signing a new deal at Old Trafford.

    Pogba, who had been dropped by Mourinho for his last match against Liverpool, was slammed after a post emerged on his social media account shortly after the Portuguese’s dismissal.

    It is understood that the Frenchman was also high-fiving his teammates when news of Mourinho’s sack broke.

    Now fresh reports have suggested Pogba was mocking Mourinho during the session on Tuesday, before being reprimanded by Carrick, who took charge immediately after the decision to pull the trigger.

    The UK Sun claims Pogba shouted “He f***** with the wrong baller” during the session at Carrington.

    But Carrick, who will remain part of the coaching team under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, confronted him immediately.

    It is alleged he told the World Cup winner that United are bigger than any player or manager, before reminding the squad anyone could be moved on if they fail to meet the standards set at Old Trafford.