WHAT MUST JOSE DO TO MAKE POGBA HIS . . . SPECIAL ONE?

HOW has it come to this for Paul Pogba? How has a return to Manchester United that promised so much for the world’s most expensive footballer at the time reached such a low point?

When Pogba came off the bench in Seville on Wednesday night, it was the second time in his last four games that he had been relegated to the role of substitute.

On the other two occasions, Jose Mourinho replaced United’s record £89million signing well before the end with his team losing.

This is not how it was meant to be when Pogba rejoined United from Juventus 19 months ago to a rap video fanfare and social media frenzy. He was a world record buy. A statement signing. The kind of

galactico acquisition that United chief Ed Woodward loves to make, designed to propel Mourinho’s Old Trafford revolution to a new level.

To hear Mourinho talk about Pogba in recent weeks, however, you would not think he is very special at all. And, surely, that’s the point of all this. To knock him down a peg or two.

Cracks have appeared in their relationship since the two men were involved in a heated touchline exchange at Tottenham at the end of last month.

There is little doubt Mourinho’s decision to start Scott McTominay, a talented but raw youngster, ahead of Pogba is aimed at bringing the Frenchman into line.

McTominay gave a disciplined performance in the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday, if lacking in the kind of fireworks that Pogba can produce.

He put in a shift for his team and it’s this which Mourinho wants Pogba to take on board. The United manager is prepared to play him in the position he wants on the left-hand side of midfield, in a new, 4-3-3 formation.

What he will not do is give the player a ‘free’ role.

Even David Beckham had to do the dirty work at United, Mourinho pointed out on Wednesday.

‘When the team have the ball you attack. When you don’t, you defend,’ he said. ‘The top teams in the world — everybody works and has tactical discipline.

‘The next time I see David Beckham, I’m going to ask him, “When you played right wing for United, when their left back attacked, did you stay looking in the stands or track back?” Everybody knows I am not a big fan of Roy Keane or Paul Scholes, but I will ask them if they tracked back.’

McTominay could not be a more different character to Pogba. He is a reserved individual raised in the traditions of the club.

‘Maybe it’s because he’s this kind of profile,’ said Mourinho after McTominay played at Huddersfield on Saturday when Pogba was absent with an illness that has still not been explained. ‘A normal haircut, no tattoos, no big cars, no big watches, humble kid.’

The comparison with Pogba’s flamboyant hairstyles, RollsRoyce, bling jewellery, dance moves and elaborate handshake routines was plain to see.

When the former Juventus man came off the bench in Seville, he was sporting a new red stripe in his hair. It was certainly more striking than his performance.

Pogba didn’t play badly but we expect so much more from a player of his calibre and there have not been nearly enough big performances from him in a United shirt.

The ostentatious image has not gone down well with everyone at United. Senior players are tiring of his antics and feel that he needs to focus more on his football.

In December, Sportsmail revealed that support staff were sent to Pogba’s house in Hale Barns to get him out of bed when he failed to report for training.

From Pogba’s point of view, he has been unsettled by the arrival of Alexis Sanchez as United’s new pin-up boy. Woodward revealed earlier this month that the video posted to announce that signing smashed records on the club’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. This might not matter to most players, but it has irked Pogba, who is very active on social media and proud of his stats. The events that have followed suggest his ego has been bruised.

His representatives are said to have contacted United over a pay rise to bring him into line with Sanchez’s £600,000 a week.

Then reports emerged in his native France suggesting that he was having ‘regrets’ over his return to United. Yesterday, there was talk of his representatives sounding out potential buyers this summer, such is his frustration.

It is very unlikely to come to that. The club have invested too much in Pogba to sell him so soon.

Pogba needs to knuckle down and Mourinho needs to bring him back into the fold. A premature parting of the ways suits no one.

‘A normal haircut, no tattoos, no big cars, no big watches, humble kid’ — WHO WAS MOURINHO COMPARING HIM TO?