Paul Pogba accused Jose Mourinho of ‘restricting’ him with tactics after Manchester United’s drab draw at Southampton
Pogba, alongside his United team-mates, were poor at Southampton but reports claim the Frenchman told Mourinho his team set up is not helping the team
PAUL POGBA has told Jose Mourinho his tactics are holding back Manchester United, according to reports.
say the Frenchman complained to the United boss his style of play restricts the movement of their attacking players, leaving the World Cup-winner with few passing options.
Pogba clashed with Mourinho after Saturday’s drab 2-2 draw at Southampton.
It was reported he called the 25-year-old “a virus” in the away dressing room in front of the whole squad.
Mourinho blasted Pogba by saying: “You don’t play, you don't respect players and supporters and you kill the mentality of good, honest people around you.”
At St Mary’s, the £89million man, alongside United had an evening to forget.
Latest Man Utd News
He made 51 passes with an 84 per cent success rate.
That was two passes than Fellaini's completed at St Mary's but Ander Hererra and Scott McTominay both hit 56 successful passes.
But Nemanja Matic beat them all completing 67 passes while the home side's best passer was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with 61.
But to Mourinho’s frustration, Pogba lost the ball eight times.
And to add weight to the midfielder’s argument about United’s straight-jacket style of play, he failed to make a single key pass in the game.
The atmosphere among the United squad has gone downhill in recent weeks.
Mourinho’s claims that Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial lack “character” and “personality” went down badly with the squad.
The main reason for the upset is the four players called out have been some of United’s better performers in a poor season so far at Old Trafford.
There is also bemusement among the ranks by Mourinho’s treatment of Fred.
United shelled £52 million to sign the Brazil midfielder from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer, but he has started only six of the 14 league matches United have played this season.
It puzzles some players that the fourth-most expensive signing in the club’s history has spent most of his time on the bench.