Sunday Mirror

INCE: UNITED COULD CASH IN ON POG

- BY ALEX WOOD

PAUL INCE believes Manchester United should consider selling Paul Pogba.

Bruno Fernandes’ brilliant start to his Manchester United career has cast more doubt on Pogba’s future at the club.

And Ince believes boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has some tough decisions to make this summer.

He said: “Player prices now are going to come down,” he said. “Would Real Madrid or Juventus pay £90million for Pogba?

“He won’t command that sort of money. It’d be more like £60m.

“But with the introducti­on of Fernandes, you never know, United might consider letting him go if they need some cash.”

Since moving to Old Trafford, Fernandes, signed from Sporting Lisbon in January for £47m, has

Solskjaer’s response to Mourinho’s jibe that fortune favoured United with a succession of refereeing decisions in the 2-0 win at Crystal Palace that kept them in the hunt for Champions League qualificat­ion was dismissed in the same way.

He said: “It looks like there is a narrative and that people want to influence whoever is making the decisions.

“I hear people talking about luck, that we have been more lucky than unlucky.

“But if you look at the facts – and I don’t want to sound like a certain manager talking about facts – but if you are offside, you are offside. That is clear.

“Talking about luck, we had a penalty against Tottenham in the last minute that was taken away from us. That might have been another two points for us.

“Let’s talk about the red card Oriol Romeu should have had when he almost crippled Greenwood against Southampto­n. Maybe that would have helped us.

“Are we talking about Mark Noble when he should have been sent off when we lost to West Ham?”

“It should be us complainin­g about whether we get decisions on the pitch.

“But we let other people talk about that. I been a pivotal influence. And with two games left in the Premier League, Solskjaer’s side are in the hunt for a top-four finish – but the Norwegian chief is still expected to splash the cash this summer.

“What you’re seeing now is a solid nucleus in that side,” Ince said. “But there’s also plenty of talk about Jadon Sancho. It’s exciting times for United.

“Solskjaer is putting himself in don’t want to get too much into it. I might get into trouble.”

United, who reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, also have a route back into the Champions League open to them by winning the Europa League.

Today’s game against Chelsea will be their 56th competitiv­e match of the campaign.

That’s in contrast to Klopp’s Liverpool, who were eliminated from Europe and the two domestic cup competitio­ns early as they clinched the club’s first title in 30 years.

Solskjaer said: “It’s that word ‘responsibi­lity’. It’s our duty and our responsibi­lity as Manchester United players and staff to go for trophies.

“I have never seen anyone celebrate a trophy like our gaffer, Sir Alex Ferguson.

“I remember him coming to watch my first game as reserve-team manager in a Lancashire Senior Cup game against Liverpool.

“He was knocking on my door at half-time because we were 1-0 down and he wanted us to win – and we did in the end.

“It’s a big, big thing for our players to get into the habit of winning.

“For any player or team, to lift that first trophy, is a great experience.” a position where he can win things and suddenly all of this talk about Maurico Pochettino is drifting away.

“There was a lot of gloom hanging over Old Trafford and that’s now gone as United have improved.

“It was Fernandes from day one that made the difference. “

Paul Ince is a Paddy Power ambassador. Read more at news.paddypower.com

 ??  ?? ■■Manchester United have progressed from 15 of their last 17 FA Cup semi-final ties, losing on penalties against Everton in 2009, and beaten 1-0 by Man City in 2011.
■■Manchester United have progressed from 15 of their last 17 FA Cup semi-final ties, losing on penalties against Everton in 2009, and beaten 1-0 by Man City in 2011.
 ??  ?? DOUBTS Pogba’s future is looking increasing­ly uncertain
DOUBTS Pogba’s future is looking increasing­ly uncertain

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