Pogba double keeps United on course for Champions League
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PAUL POGBA abandoned his trademark run-up to score twice from penalties and give Manchester United’s top-four hopes a boost at the expense of unlucky West Ham.
The Frenchman, who usually stutters his steps on the way to the ball, decisively converted both his spotkicks past Lukasz Fabianski without hesitation to move United to within two points of Chelsea, who play at Liverpool today.
But West Ham were aggrieved that an early strike by Felipe Anderson was incorrectly ruled out and Pogba’s first penalty was harshly awarded for a foul by Robert Snodgrass on Juan Mata.
Their sense of injustice only intensified after Anderson had equalised early in the second half with substitute Michail Antonio hitting the crossbar and then denied by a world-class save by David De Gea with the score at 1-1.
Pogba said afterwards: ‘We didn’t have a good performance. But the result is there. We played a bit too slow and we were in danger. We are going to have to fix this.
‘Yes, I think we had the luck today. Sometimes it’s not for us but it was today.’
Victor Lindelof and Marcus Rashford were put on the bench by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, presumably with Barcelona on Tuesday in mind, while West Ham included reported United target Declan Rice in midfield but no Marko Arnautovic.
West Ham looked ideal opponents for United on paper — without an away win in 2019 and having lost their last three without scoring.
Anderson thought he had ended the run when he acrobatically sent a half-volley past captain-for-theday De Gea after 11 minutes, only to have his celebrations cut short by the assistant’s flag for offside —though replays showed Diego Dalot’s outstretched leg was just playing him on.
Given United’s sluggish start, Lukaku deserted his central striker’s role for a burst down the right and held out his hands in exasperation when his cross evaded three team-mates in the middle.
United were fortunate to take the lead after 18 minutes. Mata was not going anywhere on the edge of the box when Snodgrass foolishly steamed into him.
Hammers skipper Mark Noble led the delegation of complainants to referee Graham Scott with a strong case that the challenge was shoulder-to-shoulder but the official was not for turning and Pogba thumped the penalty past Fabianski — without a stutter.
It was the midfielder’s first United goal in nine matches that included a penalty miss against Southampton when his 13 steps in the run-up failed to outsmart goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Overall, Pogba has now scored seven of his 10 spotkicks this season.
West Ham are in no danger of relegation yet too far adrift of a European place. But they showed willing for manager Manuel Pellegrini. Snodgrass tried to make amends for conceding the penalty with a wicked corner after 25 minutes which Anderson sent narrowly wide with a flicked header.
United, who have Everton, City and Chelsea in their next three league fixtures before finishing off with more comfortable-looking games against Cardiff and Huddersfield, tried to kill off West Ham by scoring a second before halftime and Lukaku had a shot that deflected and spun wide.
Many of West Ham’s best moments came down Manchester United’s left flank, where Marcos Rojo was deputising for Ashley Young — the Argentine’s first start of an injury-hit year.
Pellegrini registered his displeasure to the officials during the interval and within four minutes of the restart his side were level.
The goal was of United’s making. De Gea rolled a ball out to Pogba that wasn’t fully accurate and the Frenchman reacted too slowly.
Snodgrass intercepted and released Manuel Lanzini, whose clever cross was steered home by Anderson from close range while De Gea stayed rooted to his line.
It was nothing less than West Ham deserved and they nearly went ahead when Pablo Zabaleta tested De Gea — forcing Solskjaer to introduce Rashford for Mata with 35 minutes left.
Rashford was in immediate action, forcing Fabianski into a wonderful one-handed save and then heading over the bar after a sustained period of aerial pinball around the West Ham box.
Rojo powered forward from leftback and also tested Fabianski as United finally moved up the gears.
In contrast, West Ham seemed affected by the loss of Lanzini just past the hour. Pellegrini sent on Antonio for ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez after 72 minutes and it was nice to hear United fans give a warm ovation to their former striker as he trudged off.
Solskjaer was so worried by his