SOLSKJAER PASSES HIS AUDITION
Glazer and Woodward are invited into dressing room after Pogba stars for Ole
THE Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport once described Paul Pogba as an ‘NBA athlete with Brazilian feet’. That was the portrait that sprang to mind as the French midfielder stamped his name all over this fixture — scoring twice and elevating Manchester United into the Champions League places.
This was Pogba at his all-conquering best, a domineering presence who bestrode midfield, at one point casting off Fulham’s Maxime le Marchand with such derision that the defender was left on his backside, but also controlling the game with masterful technique.
He now has eight goals and five assists since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the reins.
This was not only another reminder of Pogba’s talent. It was another spell-binding audition for Solskjaer, another day where his grip on United’s future felt ever tighter. In front of United cochairman Avram Glazer, Solskjaer made six changes to his line-up but still won at a canter even without Victor Lindelof, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford in the side.
For Solskjaer, the records keep coming. This was United’s fifth consecutive Premier League away win for the first time since 2012 and the first time they have won six away games on the run in all competitions for a decade. United will remain in the top four if Chelsea lose at Manchester City today.
Solskjaer welcomed Glazer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward into the dressing room after the game. The Norwegian said: ‘I’ve just spoken to Avram Glazer outside, he came into the dressing room, they’re happy. The top four is a big thing. The next league game is Liverpool so let’s make sure we stay in the top four.’ This was another of those days to attract comparisons that surely irk Jose Mourinho. Anthony Martial, the player Mourinho lobbied Woodward to sell last summer, was irresistible from the left flank. Liberated from the straitjacket of the former manager, he scored a goal that underpinned the joy and expression in United’s play. Three goals up inside 65 minutes, United’s comfort was such that Solskjaer could afford to take off Pogba and Martial with 20 minutes still on the clock. Lingard and Rashford were not used at all, with Tuesday’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain in the manager’s mind.
Those who made it onto the pitch nearly added goals of their own. Alexis Sanchez was only denied by an excellent Sergio Rico save and Scott McTominay headed over.
As for Fulham and Claudio Ranieri, the outlook could hardly be bleaker. When Cyrus Christie came on to replace Andre Schurrle, Fulham supporters responded with resounding chants of ‘You don’t know what you’re doing.’ The home crowd then sang the name of teenager Ryan Sessegnon, who has fallen out of favour.
By the end, this was a procession but when Fulham watch the tape of the match they will wonder how they did not take the lead in the opening five minutes.
Fulham started at breakneck speed, unsettling United and carving two golden opportunities. The first came from deep in Fulham’s own half, where Ander Herrera misplaced a header and Schurrle was soon scurrying upfield.
His clipped cross was delightful and Luciano Vietto met the ball on the volley. Inexplicably, the Argen- tine sidefooted the ball wide. Fulham kept up the pressure and after a wrestling bout between Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chris Smalling in the penalty area, the ball presented itself to Schurrle, whose strike was superbly blocked by Luke Shaw.
United’s uncertain start was compounded by fierce, blustery conditions. Yet even when United do not shimmer with glittering intent, they now maintain a level of unity and resilience. This was on show in the 1-0 victory at Leicester and the same courage revealed itself here as United earned the right to play
by surviving that early barrage. Smalling and Phil Jones were excellent in marshaling Mitrovic and slowly but surely United’s authority grew. Pogba was at the heart of it all but also indebted to anchormen Nemanja Matic and Herrera.
United rapidly identified that Ranieri’s gameplan was top-heavy and misguided on Fulham’s right side. Schurrle rarely tracked back and so Pogba drifted to the left while Anthony Martial went up against Denis Odoi.
United had already wasted a couple of breakaways down that flank when Pogba scored with their first shot on goal in the 14th minute.
Herrera won possession ahead of the sliding Jean Michael Seri and worked the ball left to Martial. The Frenchman slipped a reverse pass into Pogba and the midfielder struck with power towards the near post from a tight angle, catching out goalkeeper Sergio Rico. As United’s confidence grew, Fulham’s disappeared. Martial had the Fulham back three living in constant fear all afternoon and this was the backdrop for the outstanding goal of the game. Jones won the ball inside United’s half and found Martial on the left.
He twisted his way past Odoi and Le Marchand, resisting attempts to haul him down and finished calmly.
Fulham became overcome by jitters and United played the second period in third gear.
Herrera’s stinging strike needed strong hands from Rico but when Juan Mata tricked Le Marchand to earn a penalty, Pogba converted the third.