Man United take over at the top after Pogba strike

PAUL Pogba fired Manchester United to the top of the Premier League as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men ground out an important victory at Burnley.

The Red Devils had won their previous four visits to Turf Moor and knew a positive result would move them top at this stage of the season for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson bowed out as champion in 2012-13.

Pogba’s second-half strike was the difference as United secured the result their dominance deserved at Burnley, with the 1-0 triumph giving them a three-point cushion over Liverpool heading into Sunday’s mouth-watering Anfield encounter.

The video assistant referee provided the main talking point of a tense opening period, with last man Robbie Brady avoiding sanction for bringing down Edinson Cavani due to a Luke Shaw foul in the build-up.

The left-back, who was booked for his hefty challenge on Johann Berg Gudmundsson, soon swung in a cross that Harry Maguire headed home from an acute angle, only to be ruled out for an apparent foul on Erik Pieters.

The United skipper was furious that the decision was not reviewed and his side flew out of the blocks in the second half.

Solskjaer’s men completely controlled proceedings and Pogba came up trumps in the 71st minute, firing home at end of a move he started via a slight Matthew Lowton deflection.

Pogba believes United had to stay focused amid all the VAR controversy.

“It is hard, but you have to be professional,” Pogba said on Sky Sports.

“We know that is not going to be easy, and with the decision of the referee as well (to rule out Maguire’s goal), which in my opinion I did not agree (with), but I am not the boss on the pitch – he is the boss.

“You just have to stay calm and focused. We scored the goal (in the end) and won the game.

“We got the result we wanted so we are happy.”

On his own campaign, the French World Cup winner said: “I am always happy when I win. We have big games coming up, so we have to focus on that, too.” n MICHAEL Keane maintained in-form Everton’s Champions League challenge after a 2-1 win at Wolves.

The defender’s second-half header lifted the Toffees back into the Premier League’s top four.

Ruben Neves cancelled out Alex Iwobi’s first league goal for 17 months as the teams traded early blows. But Keane’s far post header secured victory, although Neves hit the woodwork with a late free-kick, to leave Carlo Ancelotti’s side back in the European picture.

Wolves have now won just once in eight league games since Raul Jimenez fractured his skull at the end of November and they dropped to 14th.