Nice try.
Paul Pogba is flying under new Manchester United boss, scoring five goals and setting up another four since the Norwegian took over from Jose Mourinho.
In Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brighton, Pogba was the man to get United going again.
Midway through the first half, Pogba was given a nudge in the Brighton box by Gaëtan Bong. The referee immediately pointed to the spot but Pogba was not allowed take his penalty for over two minutes as a player was down receiving treatment.
When he finally did place the ball on the spot, Brighton goalkeeper David Button (circled below) tried to get into his head by moving way over to his left (Pogba’s right). He remained there, trying to bluff the Frenchman, until the ref blew his whistle.
Button resumed his place in the centre of the goal as Pogba started his run-up, but he would have been better off staying where he was.
Pogba was unfazed by the attempt at mind games to place his shot high and right inside the post.
Marcus Rashford extended United’s lead to 2-0 after a smart assist from Diogo Dalot.
Rashford’s fine finish, on his 150th senior appearance for United, had many fans sharing these comments from Jamie Redknapp, when Alexis Sanchez joined United, on Sky Sports last January:
“I just feel for people like Marcus Rashford. They go down the pecking order and he’s probably thinking, ‘Where do I fit in now?’ … He might have to go in the end. It doesn’t help your confidence. Every time you are training you think ‘I’m not going to play on Saturday’… He probably needs to go and play football somewhere. It is a shame but that’s modern day football and that’s why it’s so hard for young British players to get opportunities.”
Pascal Gross got a second-half goal back for Brighton but United hung on to win 2-1.
That is now seven wins in a row for Solskjaer at United, who move up to fifth in the table.
