POGBA
Paul Pogba's cavalier performance in the Manchester derby
was behind United's defeat by arch rivals City on Saturday, according to Sportsmail columnist
Jamie Carragher.
In the first Premier League meeting between Jose Mourinho and
Pep Guardiola the Spaniard claimed local bragging rights with a 2-1 victory at
Old Trafford courtesy of first half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi
Iheanacho.
Speaking on Sky's Monday Night Football, Carragher believes
it was less Guardiola's tactical masterclass and more Pogba's poor discipline
that cost United.
'I don't think Guardiola got it massively right, I think
Mourinho got it tactically wrong,' said Carragher.
'He (Mourinho) wasn't helped specifically by the performance
of Pogba.
'For a central midfielder in a game of that magnitude it was
one of the most ill-disciplined performances I've seen in the first 45 minutes.
'It was like the best kid in a school yard - he does what he
wants, he runs where he wants.
'I never thought I'd say this, but I felt so sorry for
Fellaini... because he was left on his own.
'Forget what Pogba has cost or has done what he's done...
he's not a kid,' he added.
The former Liverpool defender believes that Pogba has to
show more control when playing in a midfield pair, especially in games of this
magnitude.
'He (Pogba) has to be disciplined in a two playing against
(David) Silva and De Bruyne. Either he's got it wrong or Mourinho has got it
wrong by giving him license to be roam.
'It's embarrassing (the amount of space Silva had) in a game
of this magnitude. To give that space to maybe the best player in the Premier
League is unbelievable.
'I don't think Mourinho should be playing Pogba in a game of
that magnitude in a two-a midfield - it looks to me that he can't do it.
Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville also believes
that Mourinho got the game tactically wrong, but doesn't think Pogba was at
fault - instead blaming ineffectual wingers Jesse Lingard and Henrikh
Mkhitaryan who were both substituted.
'The way Pogba played was not surprising. In all the time
that he's played for Juventus, he's played in a midfield three, he's not
someone you would play in a two in midfield because he doesn't have the
discipline,' said Neville.
'You wouldn't want him to be disciplined. His strength is
getting forward,' he added.
The younger Neville brother insisted United's performance
improved in the second half after Lingard and Mkhitaryan were sacrificed, while
urging Mourinho to use Pogba further forward even if that means dropping Wayne
Rooney into midfield.
'It got better for Mourinho in the second half because he
changed the system and personnel... it's those two players (Lingard and
Mkhitaryan) who failed the Manchester United system,' he said.
'In big games Mourinho will have to look at the setup of his
midfield. I think he has to play Pogba further up - he had a similar
problem with (Cesc) Fabregas at Chelsea - and go with a three in midfield.
'Rooney has to play... there is flexibility with Rooney and
like any manager that's ever managed him, they start off saying he will play up
front before they realise he is equally as effective in other positions.'
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