Don’t lie: Mourinho slams reports of rift with Pogba
manchester — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has angrily insisted that rumours his relationship with Paul Pogba has broken down are “lies”.
According to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, midfielder Pogba is unhappy with the more defensive position in which he has been used by Mourinho.
Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus for £89.3 million ($123.5 million, 100.5 million euros) in August 2016, has struggled for form in recent weeks and Mourinho has substituted the 24-year-old in two of the Red Devils’ last three matches. Other reports said the arrival of Alexis Sanchez has also unsettled the Frenchman.
But an irate Mourinho dismissed suggestions there was any issue between him and the France international. “I think you are nice with your words, because when you say ‘a lot of speculation’ you should say ‘a lot of lies’,” Mourinho told reporters on Friday.
“I accept and I can speak on Paul’s behalf without any kind of problem. Paul accepts that he has not been playing well in the last few
When you say ‘a lot of speculation’ you should say ‘a lot of lies’. I accept and I can speak on Paul’s behalf without any kind of problem. Paul accepts that he has not been playing well in the last few matches Jose Mourinho on Paul Pogba ‘rumours’
matches but that’s all. And if you want to speak about it, then that is one thing and your word ‘speculation’ maybe makes a bit of sense.
“But the majority of things you can read and listen, don’t be nice, be objective and say ‘lies’.
“I don’t have to speak with you about my conversations with my players. I don’t have to tell you anything about it,” the Portuguese boss added.
“It’s my problem, it’s the player’s problem. It’s a big lie that the relation is not good, a big lie that we don’t communicate, a big lie that we don’t agree with his positions and his involvement in the dynamic of the team.”
Mourinho admitted that in the last two matches Pogba “did not play well”.
“Now it is my problem and Paul’s problem to deal with it and to try to improve his performance levels.”
United will be desperate to bounce back in the FA Cup fifth round against Huddersfield on Saturday, their first match featuring opinion dividing video assistant referee (VAR) technology.
Defeat at the hands of Newcastle at the weekend left Mourinho’s men second in the Premier League but just four points clear of Tottenham in fifth as the race for the top four heats up.
Now they travel to Huddersfield — where they lost in the league earlier this season — ahead of a testing run of fixtures that could define their season, with major questions over how best to deploy club record signing Paul Pogba and new boy Alexis Sanchez.
“It’s very difficult to put me in a position where I have to criticise my players,” said Mourinho when quizzed on Pogba’s lack of form, which saw the £89 million ($125 million) midfielder dropped by his Portuguese manager when United last faced Huddersfield a fortnight ago.
There have been mixed reactions to the VAR system, which has been used in a handful of League Cup and FA Cup ties.
Mourinho is likely to name a strong line-up as he has done in previous rounds against lowerleague opponents Derby and Yeovil, with the FA Cup United’s best chance of silverware this year.
Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera missed last weekend’s costly defeat but could be back in contention.
Eric Bailly is expected back in full training this weekend but will not be rushed into action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
However, Mourinho also has to balance of the demands his Cup ambitions with a tough Champions League trip to in Sevilla in midweek, as well as upcoming Premier League clashes against Chelsea and Liverpool.