Pogba smiling again as he bounces back with a match-winning display

PAUL POGBA bounced from the team bus with a smile as broad as the Severn Estuary. Not simply because the bridge tolls have closed and he was back in Wales, where he scored on his last visit, against Swansea last season. Pogba was in the team, starting in the Premier League for the first time in three weeks, and with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, his former reserve team manager, at the helm.

Pogba settled into the left side of a midfield trio, anchored by Nemanja Matic and with Ander Herrera on the right, and was hugely influential, relaxing and growing in confidence once Manchester United had taken an early grip on the game against Cardiff.

3 MINS Walk-on part in the opener. Won free-kick for United and ran over the ball, leaving Marcus Rashford to fire it in with the help of a deflection.

10 MINS His short passing was crisp and accurate but early attempts to extend his range failed with two ambitious long passes off target.

24 MINS Beaten in the air at the back post by Sol Bamba as the pair contested a deep free-kick delivered by Ashley Young.

29 MINS Roaming inside from United’s left, his vision and wonderful pass found Ander Herrera, who saw his effort clip Greg Cunningham and swerve into the top corner.

34 MINS First party pieces glimpsed at 2-0. A sublime first touch and some fancy footwork wins corner. Soon followed by a neat flick with the outside of his foot to release Luke Shaw.

41 MINS In the thick of an intricate move for Anthony Martial’s goal, as he made a tricky first-time pass look simple as he nursed it on from Martial to Jesse Lingard.

45 MINS His first effort at goal, sliced horribly wide to hoots of derision from Cardiff fans.

52 MINS Another delectable first-time pass with great disguise supplied Rashford with a clear chance which was saved.

57 MINS Pogba looked to take the penalty but Lingard, having been fouled, took it and scored the fourth goal.

69 MINS Ugly challenge on Junior Hoilett conceded free-kick from which Callum Paterson headed over.

70 MINS A drop of a shoulder, quick feet and a curling right-footer from 20 yards was tipped over by Neil Etheridge.

90 MINS Created the fifth with a threaded pass to release Lingard, who side-stepped Etheridge to score his second.

90+MINS Climbed into crowd to hand over his shirt at the end.