POGBA PAYS THE PENALTY...
Frenchman’s spot-kick record gets worse as he blows chance to put United top
PAUL Pogba wanted to disappear from sight on full-time, hoisting his red shirt over his face in an attempt to mask his blushes. If only he had done a disappearing act 25 minutes earlier and allowed Marcus Rashford to take their side’s penalty.
It was, after all, Rashford who converted from 12 yards during the 4-0 win over Chelsea on the opening weekend. So why not take this one, especially given Pogba’s three misses since the start of last season?
Make that four. A lengthy discussion with Rashford had preceded the kick and that is hardly conducive to a clear mind. So there was an air of inevitability about the subsequent miss, even if it was a fine save from Rui Patricio to keep the score at 1-1. Why, though, had Pogba won the debate with Rashford? Maybe because it was he who had earned the spot-kick after being felled by Conor Coady. Rashford, it should be noted, had won the penalty versus Chelsea.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that Pogba and Rashford are both designated takers and will decide between themselves after any award.
So what happens if another United player wins the next penalty — names in a hat? Or maybe the VAR cameras can check which of Pogba or Rashford was in closest proximity?
It is a ludicrous way to send out your team, with such scope for quarrel and indecision. It is, you have to say, indicative of what appears to be a lack of leadership on the field.
Still, at least a draw at Wolves represents progress for United under Solskjaer. Twice United were beaten here earlier this year — in the Premier League and FA Cup — as an end-of-season slide raised doubts about the new manager and the mindset of his players.
Gary Neville said before this game that Solskjaer would not be ‘conned’ by one good performance — that win over Chelsea — and there is a lingering suspicion this team can flatter to deceive.
The victory against Chelsea had, in fairness, descended into a stroll. As Solskjaer said himself, it is very easy to play well when you’re 3-0 up at Old Trafford.
At Molineux, though, it is not so simple. Come May, just one position and nine points separated the teams in the final Premier League standings and it is a gap Wolves are intent on closing — not that they looked capable of doing so during a lethargic first half which the visitors dominated.
Ten minutes before Anthony Martial’s breakthrough goal, he had done little to convince of his credentials as a central striker, the position he prefers.
It was nothing to do with technique, more a question of desire. Rashford had left Ryan Bennett so dizzy as he chopped one way and the other on the left that the defender simply fell over. The forward took advantage to deliver the most inviting of deliveries but it was an offer Martial refused to take, dangling a leg inside the six-yard area instead of barging ball and man over the line.
Martial may wear No 9 but oldfashioned centre forward he is not. Remember, too, that Solskjaer has urged his strikers to score more ‘scruffy’ goals this season.
But that is not Martial. Rather, he feeds off the sort of slide pass that Rashford provided for his 27th-minute opener, lashing first time into the roof of the net to climax a swift break.
It had, though, been a rough half for Dan James, making his first United start and fortunate that what appeared to be a pair of dives resulted in only one yellow card.
James was operating in front of fellow summer recruit Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right and it was the defender who provided the cross from which Jesse Lingard should have doubled the lead early in the second half.
His finish, however, was wild and United paid the price as Wolves drew level on 55 minutes. It was a fine goal, too.
A corner was worked short and returned to taker Joao Moutinho, who picked out Portuguese compatriot Ruben Neves 25 yards from goal.
The midfielder took one touch to steady himself and another to dispatch the ball into the top corner via the underside of the bar.
On 68 minutes, United had their chance to win it. There was no theatrical Pogba run-up this time but there was drama.
It could all have been avoided, however, had the Frenchman stayed in shadows.