Pog Off
Manchester United star Paul Pogba cut from Jose Mourinho’s starting XI for Sevilla Champions League clash
United's club-record buy is believed to have a growing problem with Mourinho after being subbed in defeat to Spurs
PAUL POGBA will be left out of Manchester United’s starting line-up for tonight’s match against Sevilla throwing fresh doubt on his relationship with Jose Mourinho.
The club’s record buy missed last Saturday’s FA Cup win over Huddersfield with a mystery illness that has still not been explained.
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Mourinho had said that he was definitely going to play in that match and in his preferred position on the left of midfield.
Despite that ‘illness’ he trained on Sunday.
Mourinho also made it clear that he was fully fit for tonight’s Champions League match as well having taken part in the main part of training on Monday.
Yet still he has left him out in what will be seen as a huge gamble with the Red Devils embarking on the knockout stage of football’s premier club competition.
Martin Lipton says... beginning of the end for Pogba
IT is not the end, yet. But it sure looks like the beginning of the end.
And as the rift between Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba grows ever wider, the harder it is to envisage both of them being together at Manchester United next season.
Mourinho can dress up the decision to leave Pogba out however he wants. Injury. Tactical. Gut instinct.
Whatever reason, if he has left out the most expensive player in United history, for their most important game of the season to date, it tells us all that something is wrong.
All in the aftermath of a clear and public shot across the bows as he talked up rookie Scott McTominay, pointing out the youngster "does not have coloured hair, no big car or big watch".
Mourinho may have dismissed reports of a rift last week, but they were fuelled from both sides of a divide that appears to be growing.
This is no longer a short-term problem. It is one that is serious. And may, indeed, prove insoluble.
Real Madrid, who covet Pogba, will be licking their lips.
And should Mourinho feel he is not backed by the club, one would not be surprised should PSG come calling for the manager.....
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He is preferring a midfield three of fit again Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay.
It has become increasingly clear over the last three weeks that there is a problem between Mourinho and the player which stems from him substituting Pogba in the away defeat to Spurs back on January 31st.
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The two had been involved in an animated touchline discussion during a break in play before he hooked Pogba.
He then dropped him for the following home game against Huddersfield and substituted him again during the defeat away to Newcastle.
Man Utd transfer news
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SunSport revealed last weekend that there had been a major bust up between the two in the wake of that Newcastle game.
While Mourinho has been at pains to claim there is no problem between the two it will be interesting to hear his reasoning for leaving him out tonight’s starting line up.
Real Madrid will be monitoring the situation closely as SunSport also revealed February 15 that the Spanish giant have not given up on trying to land the French international.
They lost out to United in the summer of 2016 when the player left Juventus and opted for a return to the club he was at as a teenager before leaving for Juventus.
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