Sky Sports pundit Danny Murphy has questioned comments made by Man United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona.
Talking in the pre-match press conference, as quoted on the BBC, the United manager said: “At Paul’s best he can run a game like this.”
On The Debate show (Wednesday, Sky Sports, 9am), Murphy praised Pogba for “his ability, his skill and his physicality” but said the 26-year-old star would not be able to “run” a game from midfield against Barcelona.
“I think it’s a strange thing to say against the best possession team in the world,” Murphy said.
“He can’t run a game from midfield against Barca… I can’t think of a game when anyone’s been able to do that. What he might have been trying to say is that he can have a big impact on the game, but he can’t run the game against Barca.
“It’s a strange thing to say also as he’s not a holding midfielder. You want him getting forward, with his ability, his skill and his physicality.”
OPINION
Pogba has shown in flashes what he’s capable of since Jose Mourinho left the club. Four goals in his first three games, another four shortly after, but now just one assist in his last six games. Over the international break he also called Real Madrid a “dream” club for any footballer to play for – a reminder that he’s a player that doesn’t toe the line and needs careful managing. This could be a message to Pogba from Solskjaer to tell him he knows what’s capable of and that he’s expecting a big game from his midfield star. But Murphy is right, there’s no way that Pogba will run the game for United against a side like Barcelona. At best, a huge game from Pogba might mean that Man United get something from the game on Wednesday night, keeping their slim chances of progression alive. Bookies have United at 3/1 to qualify and that sounds about right.