Paul Pogba facing France World Cup starting XI axe after Manchester United flopped in Italy friendly
Pogba's struggles continue with survey by France Football showing 73-per-cent of French fans polled want him dropped for opening World Cup game against Australia
Paul Pogba is in serious danger of losing his starting place at the World Cup.
The Manchester United man started in Friday’s 3-1 win over Italy, but even in his preferred role in a three-man midfield failed to impress days ahead of the big kick off in Russia.
French fans have had enough of Pogba’s inconsistent showings with boss Didier Deschamps yet to decide if he can be trusted to produce for the whole tournament.
The 25-year-old was in the French engine room alongside N’Golo Kante and Bayern Munich’s Corentin Tolisso against Italy.
His passing was poor all game and one shot from distance nearly went out for a throw-in.
Pogba was jeered and whistled by the French crowd in Nice when he was when he was replaced by Steven N’Zonzi on 87 minutes.
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Deschamps insisted he still has faith in the under-fire star, but was quick to point out his other options going into the World Cup.
He told Telefoot: “Not everything was successful, but he helped the team to be well organised.
“I don’t question Paul’s potential.
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“If I called him up, it’s because he’s indispensable for me.
“I know what he is capable of. He has to raise his level of play. I have confidence in him, as I do in my other players.”
Pogba had been dropped by Deschamps for the friendly defeat by Colombia in March, while Jose Mourinho axed him for several key United matches earlier this year.
Former French international Frank Leboeuf stuck the boot in and demanded Tolisso starts ahead of Pogba.
And fellow World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu said Pogba is “not doing enough” to justify his place.
A poll by magazine France Football asked fans whether Pogba should start France's opening game at the World Cup.
Among 7,000 respondents, 73 per cent said he shouldn’t.
L’Equipe gave Pogba’s 4/10 for his showing against Italy while Le Parisien gave him 3.5/10.
With only one more friendly before the World Cup, against the USA on Saturday, the £89million man is running out of time to silence the critics and seal his place in Deschamps' starting XI against the Aussies in Kazan on June 16.