Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba polarises opinion, and this stat shared by Telegraph journalist James Ducker is going to do him no favours.
Pogba came on as a substitute during the second-half of Man United’s victory over PSG midweek, but his exclusion from the starting eleven raised eyebrows, considering he is one of the club’s biggest names and this was a game of some magnitude.
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However, the Frenchman can often be criticised for not pulling his weight in the Man United team, regardless of how talented he is and what he has shown previously in his career. This stat posted by James Ducker on Twitter epitomises the doubts surrounding the midfielder.
Since PSG win last yr, #MUFC have won 31pc of their ‘big games’ with back 4 vs 50pc with a back 3. When Pogba started, they won one & lost 5 of 8 big games, scoring 8 & shipping 18. Without him starting, they won 8 & drew 2 of 15, scoring 20 & conceding 17 https://t.co/SMPXCddv7S
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) October 23, 2020
It is evident that United are more successful in bigger games when Pogba is not on the pitch. He is talented and creative, no doubt, but his ability to put in a shift and follow a manager’s game plan can certainly be questioned.
Man United host Chelsea at Old Trafford tomorrow afternoon. Whether or not Ole Gunnar Solskjaer includes him in that one could be a significant suggestion on how much he will be involved going forward.