Ole knows something’s still missing from this picture...
PAUL POGBA had his feet up at home while his team-mates were putting in the hard yards at Turf Moor.
Perhaps it’s about time the £89million midfielder asked himself what he can do for the club that pays his wages, instead of the other way round?
Only last week, Pogba’s agent was talking about how the Frenchman wants to win trophies at Old Trafford... after spending the last 18 months trying to sell him to Real Madrid.
But Pogba won’t win many football matches sat in front of the TV.
He would have got a HD view of his pals running on empty in their third game in six days. The absence of the
Frenchman as United’s squad decamped from the team bus last night had the press box rumour-mongers in full swing.
Was he injured again? Had he gone AWOL? In the end, it was nothing dramatic.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explained he was giving Pogba a rest after a half-hour run-out in the defeat at Watford last Sunday had been followed by a 45-minute stroll against Newcastle on Boxing Day.
The United boss will hope that his main midfield creator will be right up to full speed at the business end of the season.
As it transpired, United didn’t need their record signing.
Anthony Martial and
Marcus Rashford rang out the old year by scoring the goals that took United to within one point of the top four.
And if Solskjaer guides this United side back to the Champions League in 2020, then Mino Raiola will have one less excuse to tout Pogba around Europe’s top clubs again next summer.
United deserved their victory.
Burnley lacked their usual in-your-face attitude in midfield and defence as the festive programme really took its toll on Sean Dyche’s players.
The Clarets would have fancied their chances of adding to David de Gea’s recent woes.
As it was, the Spaniard was