No rift with Pogba, insists Jose

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed media speculation of a rift with Paul Pogba as a “big lie” and said that the midfielder was well aware of the need to improve after belowpar displays in the last few weeks.

The France international, 24, was substituted in the 2-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur and started the next game against Huddersfield Town on the bench. He was hauled off again in the 1-0 defeat by Newcastle United last weekend.

British media have said United’s record signing is increasingly frustrated with his role at United but Mourinho shot down talk of friction with Pogba before today’s FA Cup fifth round clash at Huddersfield Town.

“It’s a big lie that our relationship is not good,” Mourinho told a news conference yesterday. “It’s a big lie that we don’t communicate. It’s a big lie that we don’t agree with his position and his dynamic within the team,” he fumed.

Pogba has made nine assists and scored three goals in 17 league appearances. He has five more starts in European and domestic cup competitions but has struggled for consistency in an injury-hit campaign.

“He accepts that he’s not been playing well in the last few matches, but that’s all. The majority of the things you can read and listen to... don’t be nice, be objective and say lies,” Mourinho said, adding he intended to start Pogba today.

“I don’t have to speak with you about conversations with my players. It’s my problem and the player’s problem... So be objective and say what we all know. In the last couple of matches he didn’t play well. Period.”

Ivorian defender Eric Bailly is back in training after ankle surgery and could make his first appearance since November. Midfielder Ander Herrera and forward Marcus Rashford are out with injuries.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is relishing the chance to select his best players for every match as the club boast a fully-fit squad ahead of crucial fixtures in the Premier League and Champions League.

Defender Nathaniel Clyne’s return to training, along with that of Adam Lallana, Dominic Solanke, Danny Ings and Ragnar Klavan, means all 25 players who travelled to Liverpool’s training camp in Spain have no injury concerns.

“We made our rotation in the winter, in November and December, to be now 100 percent fit,” Klopp told the club’s website. (www.liverpoolfc.com)

“Now we are 100 percent fit, the best players will play all the time.

“We need all of these players and hopefully we have them all available and then we will make a decision, but it’s not that I think now we will rotate before or after. We go for everything.”

Liverpool are on course to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a 5-0 win over FC Porto in the first leg of their last-16 tie and defender Dejan Lovren believes the club can win the tournament.

“Of course (we can win it),” Lovren is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo. “Yes, if we are right and we do our job like we did and everyone defends well – each centimetre of the pitch is covered – then we have a great chance.

“Don’t forget about Liverpool. We have so much quality so we can beat everyone if we are on our top level – as simple as that.”

The Merseyside club have proved their doubters wrong by flourishing in the Champions League and Lovren is enjoying the club’s underdog status as he urged his team mates to get the job done in the second leg against Porto.

“It is good when they don’t talk about us,” Lovren added. “Maybe they would consider them to be the favourites – even better. We are the underdogs I would say.

“It is something from deep inside that will explode but we need to be calm and finish the second game at home and let’s see what happens later.”

Liverpool are third in the league, still in a tightly-contested race to finish in the top four with 11 games remaining. Klopp’s side next host West Ham United on February 24.