Pogba is one of the very best says Mata
JUAN MATA believes team-mate Paul Pogba is the complete player and admits Manchester United’s winning run looked impossible a few weeks ago.
Pogba scored one goal and made another for Ander Herrera to send holders Chelsea crashing out of the FA Cup on Monday and to set up a quarter-final at Wolves.
The Frenchman has now been involved in 15 goals in 12 games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has transformed the club since taking over from Jose Mourinho.
Mata said: “Even in the second half, after 80, 85 minutes, he was still defending, going forward. He’s very, very complete.
“He’s got physique, he’s got quality, he’s got a pass, he can go box to box. He’s one of the best. He showed why.”
Pogba was sent off when United were humbled 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash before Monday’s trip to Stamford Bridge.
But that remains the only game the interim manager has lost ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit by Liverpool, with the Norwegian masterminding 11 wins in 13 games as United have climbed to fourth.
Mata said: “In the league our main target is to get in the top four.
“One or two months ago it was pretty impossible to get where we are now, so we want to keep that position.
“And in the FA Cup hopefully we can go to Wembley again with all our fans because it’s a very nice feeling.”
Mata says United cannot wait to get stuck into Liverpool at Old Trafford after losing 3-1 to them in Mourinho’s final match.
He said: “It’s one of those games we have in our calendar with a red spot waiting for it. It’s one of the big ones and we want to win.
“We play at home and hopefully it will be a very good day for us.”
Pogba has backed Solskjaer to help United go all the way in the FA Cup but Mata says they will not be taking Wolves lightly.
He said: “Their manager is doing a very good job there. They play good football so it’s difficult to play against them.
“But if we want to win the FA Cup, we need to try to beat everyone. We’ve done that with Arsenal and Chelsea, two top teams, and now we will go to Wolverhampton with the same ambition.”