With same commitment as Sanchez, Pogba can be the next big thing in world football

THE arrival at Old Trafford of Alexis Sanchez will serve as a much-needed wake-up call for Paul Pogba.

What you get from Sanchez is 100 per cent commitment. The Chilean international may be a superstar but he recognises the importance of putting the hard yards in for whichever team he’s representing.

United boss Jose Mourinho demands that from his players. For Mourinho talent is not enough. No matter how talented, you’re no good to him without the toil too.

Is he getting that from Pogba? Probably not.

If the French international had Sanchez’s drive he would arguably become the next big thing in world football.

People talk about Neymar being the chosen one to succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the world’s best but Pogba has everything in his locker to inherit that label.

He provides goals, passes, and is an old-fashioned, dominant central midfielder.

But he needs to find some consistency, the same kind of consistency his new team-mate practically guarantees.

Mourinho (above) dropped Pogba for Saturday’s win over Huddersfield and that sent out a loud-and-clear message to the Old Trafford squad. “Unless you pull your finger out and are playing at 100 per cent, I will drop you.”

Pogba was sensational in the Europa League final last season.

But his performances often swing from nine out of 10 to five out of 10.

If United are to have a serious tilt at the title – and we’re talking next season because this season has already gone for them – they need everybody playing with the same intensity as Sanchez.

If you are Sanchez, you may get back in the dressing room after a moderate performance but the manager will point at you and say to your teammates: “You see him there, he hasn’t scored today. He has had an absolute shocker in front of goal but you know what he gave me? He gave me 100 per cent effort and commitment and made himself a nuisance all afternoon.”

Then he’ll look around the rest of the dressing room and ask: “How many of you can say the same?”

One of the question marks about Pogba focuses on commitment. For effort, is he a nine-outof-10 man week in and week out? I humbly suggest that he isn’t. United’s record signing, the kind of physical powerhouse Mourinho prefers, needed a wake-up call.

And former Arsenal star Sanchez has just provided it.