UNITED SPECIAL Pogba issue could return at United, says Neville
GARY Neville fears we could see the Paul Pogba of old resurface at United.
Pogba is in outstanding form, with nine goals and six assists to his name in all competitions since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer arrived at the club in December.
However, the season started poorly for the Frenchman and his sour relationship with Jose Mourinho was constantly under the spotlight.
Pogba was heavily linked with a move away from United during the final few months of Mourinho’s reign and Neville believes his agent Mino Raiola will try and manufacture a move away for his client in the future.
“To be bang honest on Pogba, for two years, for £95m he gave United nowhere near enough in terms of performance levels and contribution,” Neville said.
“In the last two or three months he’s playing like the player that, to be fair, was bought for £95m. And he’s an outstanding player when he is playing like he is doing at the moment.
“If he plays for United for the next five years at the levels he’s playing now, there will be no one happier than us two [Neville and fellow pundit Nemanja Vidic] watching him because he’s absolutely outstanding.
“But in the back of my mind, the problems that we witnessed in the first two years will emanate again at some point.
“Because I think his agent will be in to him, he’ll be wanting his little move away, he’ll be wanting his next pay-off and that’s my problem with it.
“His commitment to the club has got to be long-term. We trust him at the moment. Can we trust him for the long term?” TAHITH Chong and James Garner could come into the United squad for their midweek meeting at Crystal Palace following a glut of injuries.
Nemanja Matic is out for a ‘few weeks’ after suffering a training ground injury on Saturday and United had to make three first-half substitutions during their goalless draw with Liverpool on Sunday.
Caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard all aggravated their hamstrings.
Marcus Rashford completed 90 minutes despite suffering an ankle injury early on in the match and Solskjaer said he would be ‘surprised’ if the 21-year-old made the trip to Palace on Wednesday. Anthony Martial (groin) was unable to complete United’s final session before the Liverpool match and is still considered a doubt for the Selhurst Park game, although he could travel given the spate of withdrawals.
Should Martial be declared unfit, Angel Gomes could be drafted in to supplement a depleted attack. Gomes, 18, cameoed in the Boxing Day stroll against Huddersfield. United Under-23s host Reading on Monday night and coach Ricky Sbragia’s selection will be telling in light of the first-team’s injury crisis.
Solskjaer said on the eve of the FA Cup tie with Chelsea the prolific 17-year-old striker Mason Greenwood would be sidelined for ‘two weeks’ and Chong seems destined to make the United squad, having travelled to Fulham and Chelsea this month. Solskjaer gave the 19-year-old his debut against Reading in the FA Cup third round last month.
Garner, 17, could provide backup in central midfield after Herrera’s and Matic’s setbacks. The Birkenhead-born England youth international was named on the bench by Jose Mourinho in the Champions League group stage defeat at Valencia in December and was an unused substitute against Reading. Both Garner and Chong figured in the pre-season tour and joined the first-team squad for their warm-weather training in January. “We’ve got some good kids coming through, so don’t worry about it,” Solskjaer said after the Liverpool stalemate. “We’ll have 11 players on the pitch on Wednesday night as well. Luckily we’ve got two days of recovery. “Michael [Carrick] might be putting his boots on. It’s not as bad as needing me yet, but we’re alright, we’ll be fine.” Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian and Phil Jones are among United’s other injured squad members. Jones played in midfield a number of times under Sir Alex Ferguson and could be considered as support at Palace if he recovers in time. Solskjaer named 20 players in his provisional squad for the Liverpool match and omitted the fit-again Marcos Rojo from the matchday 18, as well as third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer