Paul still top Pog

RIO FERDINAND has lashed out at Paul Pogba’s critics, telling them: “He’s a **** ing top player.”

Pogba (below) took plenty of flak for Manchester United’s failings under Jose Mourinho as his performances rarely showcased his talent.

But he has been brilliant since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over and Ferdinand knows United will really miss the suspended midfielder when they try to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in the last 16 of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

Ferdinand said: “Pogba’s not questioned in big games.

“He has won a World Cup, he won four Italian titles.

“You put him in the best position to perform, he performs. He has won untold trophies – why are we still questioning him?

“He has to improve in little areas and stuff and struggled with the man-marking we saw from Marquinhos in the first leg against PSG.

“But I’m sure the player he is, the person he is, the winner he is, he’ll be working out in his head, ‘Next time I’ll maybe do things a bit differently’.

“People are too interested in, ‘What can’t he do? What does he have to do now?’

“He’s a **** ing top player, just let him play and enjoy him.

“We’re always trying to pick out negatives but he is on the best run of form in England in Manchester United colours, so talk about that. Because where he has come from, in terms of confidence and conflict within the squad and the previous manager, to where he is now, it’s phenomenal.

“Again, the coaching staff have to take huge credit because they’ve gone in there and stripped things back and made things seem a lot easier and it’s a better place to play football.”

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