POGBA’S REVENGE
£89m star hits back at Guardiola with two goals in amazing United comeback that wrecks City’s dreams of derby title triumph
PAUL POGBA wrecked Manchester City’s title party last night with two goals in 97 stunning second-half seconds as United produced one of the great Premier league comebacks at The Etihad.
Pep Guardiola had been on the verge of his first title in England when his side led 2-0 at half-time — but he hadn’t counted on Pogba finally coming of age.
The much- maligned Frenchman struck twice before Chris Smalling completed a thrilling turnaround.
It was a sickening blow for City days before they face the challenge of trying to overhaul Liverpool in the Champions League but was redemption for Pogba at the end of another difficult week for the midfielder.
‘I didn’t want to lose against City last year, I still had that in my mind,’ said Pogba. ‘If they win they are champions against United, the fans would be dead.
‘You can play and lose against them if they are already champions but for them to win it against us and to
Neville was aghast — and with the game passing him by yet again, he did what so many have been waiting for over the last 20 months: he took hold of a game and wrested the momentum from Uni ted’ s opponents. The first goal owed as much to intricate build up play by his team-mates and the dexterity of Alexis Sanchez, wriggling away from Nicolas Otamendi to tee up Ander Herrera. He deftly chested the ball into the path of Pogba and from close range he prodded home to induce some hope.
Less than two minutes later, he had the band of United fans in the far corner in defiant rapture. This time he himself orchestrated the moment. It was a passage of play which illustrated precisely what he can be. Robustly winning the ball back in midfield, he freed up his midfielders to find Sanchez, who floated in a precise cross.
Meanwhile, Pogba had continued his run and rose beautifully to power a header home. Ninety-seven seconds had passed since his former strike. Now t he game changed.
City, so composed, were disjointed, knocked out of their stride for the second time in five days. They attempted to recover their fluency but a key component was missing: the swagger which fuels them. Then came a moment no one could have envisaged at half-time: Sanchez lifted a free-kick into the City area, neither Otamendi nor Kompany responded and the unlikely figure of Sm al ling emerged to volley home, a pretty deft finish for a centre-half.
City responded with the A team. On came De Bruyne, Jesus and Aguero. United survived in the 77th minute, when Ashley Young dived in on Aguero, feet high but winning the ball inside the area. He was seemingly saved by the obsolete adage of connecting with the ball but l ooked out of control and referee Martin Atkinson could easily have awarded a penalty.
As it was it never came and City must now wait for their inevitable crowning glory.