Below-par United star needs Mour motivation

MICHAEL OWEN says Paul Pogba would be the best player in the world by now if Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge at Manchester United.

The World Cup winner worked with Ferguson at United before moving to Juventus on a free transfer in 2012. He returned to Old Trafford four years later for £89m, but his relationship with United boss Jose Mourinho has hit rock bottom this season. The France maturely than he does. Consistency comes with maturity, but again there’s mitigating circumstances, with the manager and things like that. Under Ferguson he would be the best player in the world. “He got the best out of players and would see the unbelievable talent. “You look at the likes of Eric Cantona.

“Even if he did something that everyone sees is wrong, Ferguson would still make a case and make allowances for players like that because he realised how important they are. “Mourinho has a long list of players… you look at Mohammed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne, players like that. Now Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.

“There’s no question that they’ve been better in different teams and I think you could say that about a lot of his players. “Mourinho has improved some players, but the majority of those are defenders.” The former Chelsea boss missed out on a host of top transfer targets in the summer.

But Owen doesn’t think it is the squad that is holding United back.

“I’m convinced a manager has got so much importance to how the team plays,” he said.

“It’s no coincidence that with United, it doesn’t matter who they sign.

“I said at the time with Sanchez that he would be a far better player at Manchester City – and it’s turned out to be correct.

Style

“I’m convinced managers are hugely influential.

“You could put an average player in Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp’s side and they would look world class because of how they play and who they play alongside.

“Without naming names, you could look at lots of players in those two teams who are only okay and all of a sudden people are calling them world-beaters.

“I could name half a dozen at Liverpool and City.

“In another team they’d just appear like normal players. Now they’re being discussed in world-class terms. That’s down to the style of management.”

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