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Tag: Paul Pogba

  • EPL: There is no one like Pogba, says Solskjaer

    EPL: There is no one like Pogba, says Solskjaer

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says playmaker Paul Pogba is in a class of his own in world football when it comes to attacking midfielders.

    Club record signing Pogba is one of a number of Manchester United players who has been revitalised under caretaker boss Solskjaer.

    Apparently disaffected under Jose Mourinho, Pogba has been a dynamic presence under the new man at the helm, who is looking forward to unleashing him against Liverpool on Sunday.

    Asked how Pogba compares to other players of his type, Solskjaer said: “There are different types of midfielders but, in his mould, I don’t think there is anyone near – with his physical presence, he can score goals, his close technique.

    “He can also spray passes when he is sitting in midfield – I don’t think that is his best position, but he can do that as well.”

    When it was suggested to Solskjaer that in Pogba and England forward Marcus Rashford he has two players to build around, he said: “They are young enough to stay here for many years, you hope.

    “But you have (Nemanja) Matic and (Ander) Herrera that makes Paul’s job the one it is – you have to complement each other.

  • EPL: Pogba’s brace fires Man Utd into top-four

    Paul Pogba scored twice as Manchester United extended their unbeaten start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to 11 games with a 3-0 win at Fulham.

    Pogba rifled United into the lead with a devastating near-post finish on 14 minutes before Anthony Martial got in on the act with a brilliant solo effort, reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike at Craven Cottage in 2007.

    Fulham started brightly and could have taken the lead through Luciano Vietto and Andre Schurrle, but United’s quickfire goals knocked the wind out of their sails, with Pogba adding a third from the penalty spot midway through the second half.

    United were 11 points off the Premier League’s top four when Solskjaer took over, but their 10th victory of his interim tenure has moved them into the top four for the first time since the opening weekend of the season.

    Fulham remain second from bottom, seven points from safety with just 12 games remaining.

  • What Pogba said about Mourinho’s tactics after Tottenham win

    What Pogba said about Mourinho’s tactics after Tottenham win

    Paul Pogba says he is enjoying the system used by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after admitting the previous one under Jose Mourinho was “difficult”.

    Pogba has scored four Premier League goals in six games since Solskjaer took charge at Manchester United – one more than the rest of the season under Mourinho – and was denied on several occasions by Hugo Lloris during the 1-0 win.

    The France international says he is happy with the current tactics adopted by the caretaker manager and concedes that defending is not always his forte.

    “I’m enjoying playing football. It was difficult in the system (under Mourinho), the tactics we used to play. I like to be more attacking, pressing, play high, Pogba told Sky Sports

    “Sometimes I could go but defending is not my best attribute. Where I play [at the moment] we understand each other and I’m where I feel most comfortable.

    “That helps me [having Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera behind]. I know Matic will be there and we can press high and I can shoot, pass… that’s what I’ve been doing since the manager came. I know I have security behind me and I have the freedom.”

    Man Utd picked up a sixth successive Premier League win under Solskjaer as they beat Tottenham at Wembley and Pogba provided a wonderful assist for Marcus Rashford’s goal.

  • Paul Pogba’s brother hits out at Mourinho

    Paul Pogba’s brother hits out at Mourinho

    Jose Mourinho was to blame for the breakdown of his relationship with Paul Pogba, according to the midfielder’s brother.

    The Portuguese was sacked by Manchester United after the club’s worst start to a season in 28 years.

    Fractures in his relationship with Pogba began to emerge in September when the France World Cup winner was stripped of the vice-captaincy before Sky Sports News filmed them having an animated disagreement on the training ground.

    Now, Mathias Pogba, who plays for Tours in the French third division, has lifted the lid on the relationship behind the scenes by claiming the former manager’s ego dominated the dressing room.

    “It was Mourinho who was the problem,” Mathias Pogba told RMC Sport. “Mourinho still wants to be the centre of attention. The problem was Mourinho, right down the line.

    “In the locker room, outside the locker room…everything, I know my brother, and you tell him, ‘Go. Go play ‘, the rest, he will do it.

    “From what we see of Mourinho, he always wants to be the maestro, the centre of attention.

    “(Paul) does not even calculate that aspect: you respect him, he will respect you, you trust him, he will produce big performances.”

    Pogba, formerly the world’s most expensive player, was an unused substitute in Jose Mourinho’s final game in charge – a comprehensive 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

    But he was immediately restored to the starting line-up by new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has responded with four goals and four assists as United won all four of the Norwegian’s first four Premier League games in charge.

  • 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.

     

     

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • Man Utd to fine Pogba over ‘disrespectful’ post on instagram minutes Mourinho’s sacking

    Man Utd to fine Pogba over ‘disrespectful’ post on instagram minutes Mourinho’s sacking

    Paul Pogba is set to be fined by Manchester United for posting a ‘disrespectful’ picture on social media in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

    The photo of a smirking Pogba appeared on the player’s Instagram account on Tuesday with the message ‘caption this’.

    The post was deleted 10 minutes later but not before it was liked by more than 64,000 people and drew a response from Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who wrote: ‘You can do one as well!’

    According to Dailymail, United bosses were angered by the post which they believe was in bad taste and disrespectful by the club’s £89million record signing. Pogba, who earns £300,000 a week at Old Trafford, is expected to be fined for his actions.

    The breakdown of the Frenchman’s relationship with Mourinho has overshadowed much of the season at United.

    Pogba was stripped of the vice-captaincy in September and left on the bench as an unused substitute for the manager’s last two league games.