PREMIER LEAGUE EARN MY TRUST
Jose spells out how Pogba can get back into his good books
JOSE MOURINHO is satisfied with Paul Pogba’s reaction to being dropped, but has warned his Manchester United stars they must earn his trust.
United’s £ 89million record signing was omitted from the starting XI for the second time in four games in Seville on Wednesday, raising more questions about his relationship with manager Mourinho.
The France midfielder is in line for a recall against Chelsea at Old Trafford tomorrow after Ander Herrera — who did an excellent man-marking job on Eden Hazard in last season’s corresponding fixture — was ruled out by the hamstring injury he suffered in Spain.
Sportsmail revealed yesterday that Pogba wants to feel more valued by Mourinho after twice losing his place to 21-year- old Scott McTominay, but the manager insisted that it is up to the players to win him over.
Asked what McTominay had done to earn his trust, Mourinho said: ‘I don’t give trust for free. It’s the other way around. I don’t think it’s about the manager to trust the player, it’s the player to make the manager trust him. It’s as simple as that.
‘Sometimes it looks like we have to give everything to the players and they give nothing back. I don’t think that way.’
Mourinho was encouraged by Pogba’s response against Sevilla when introduced as an early substitute for Herrera.
‘To come on without warming up and getting to the pace of the game is not easy,’ said Mourinho. ‘He had a very positive game.
‘He was on the bench against Huddersfield (in the league) and responded in a professional way. In Seville he did the same.’
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte believes Pogba will play tomorrow — while insisting he would be happier if he was left out.
‘He’s a fantastic player,’ said Conte. ‘If he stays out, it will be better (for us). Every coach has to find the way to manage him but Pogba is showing that he is a top player.’
Conte and Mourinho reached an uneasy, and possibly temporary truce before tomorrow’s clash.
With no appetite for another round of tit-for-tat name-calling, the two called their press briefings for roughly the same time.
Asked about his feelings for his old club, Mourinho emphasised his emotional ties to Stamford Bridge were fading.
‘To play against Chelsea will mean less and less with the years,’ he said. ‘I left two years ago and next season three years ago. Step by step the feeling of “I was Chelsea manager” disappears.’
Mourinho referenced his good relationship with Chelsea’s board but on Conte he said: ‘ I’m not going to speak about it. Very good manager, fantastic team.’
Chelsea’s 4-0 win over United at the Bridge in October 2016 was a watershed as the London crowd serenaded their new leader.
Mourinho complained about Conte’s ‘humiliating’ celebrations and, later that season, said ‘Judas is No 1’ because he had won three Premier League titles as the new man closed in on his first.
Conte still fumes about Mourinho’s references to match-fixing because the Italian courts cleared him. He said: ‘In the past, both of us said things, but we stop. For me it is stopped.’
Asked about shaking Mourinho’s hand, he insisted: ‘ I’m not interested in this.’
Yet the friction is clear. Headstrong and successful, squabbling in the transfer market while chasing the shadow of Manchester City, they will collide again.