A war has broken out between Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba at Manchester United once again this season. The French International didn’t expect it to go upto this extent.
Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed that Jose Mourinho is one of the best managers in terms of man management. But it seems like the former Chelsea gaffer has lost his mojo since arriving at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese manager has picked up battles with a number of players in the squad over matchday performances or social media activity. French midfielder Paul Pogba fits in both categories.
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Earlier this season, Jose Mourinho was angered by Instagram posts made by the 25-year old after embarrassing League Cup defeat against Derby County. Pogba lost the right to wear the captain’s armband over this issue and had to sit out for a couple of games.
But this time the scenario is different. The World Cup winner has been out of form in the past few weeks. It all started when Mourinho decided to drop Pogba for the crucial Champions League clash against Young Boys. The midfielder was brought back in the starting XI as Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw by Southampton.
Jose Mourinho wasn’t impressed by the player’s performance and dropped him from the starting XI for the last two Premier League fixtures. According to a report in The Guardian, Paul Pogba is shocked by this treatment, especially in the game against Fulham where Mourinho chose to bring on Scott McTominay for the last 15 minutes.
The French International is yet to speak up about the issue with the manager and is training silently. Pogba could decide to schedule a meeting with the gaffer soon if the situation continues as clubs like Juventus look to make a move in January.
Paul Pogba is set to return to starting XI this evening as Manchester United look to secure a seeded spot in the Champions League Round of 16 draw. A victory over Valencia coupled with a shock defeat for Juventus will help Jose Mourinho avoid some top teams in the knockout phase.