Football
ESPN staff 7y

Paul Pogba 'confused' at United, Jose Mourinho needs time - Gary Neville

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has told his podcast that Paul Pogba is "confused" by his role but said he remains confident Jose Mourinho will turns things around after Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Pogba, a world-record £89.3 million signing from Juventus in the summer, has struggled to live up to expectations since returning to Old Trafford and was hugely disappointing in the loss at Stamford Bridge. 

The France midfielder had excelled in Thursday's 4-1 win over Fenerbahce but that had come off the back of an underwhelming showing in Monday's 0-0 draw at Liverpool, and Neville said: "Pogba is no doubt confused.

"He has been signed for such a huge fee and I look at him and it was a difficult day for him. It was difficult for him at times at Anfield as a No. 10 so, at the moment, I think Jose Mourinho is trying to find a way to incorporate him and when you sign a player for that level of money, you somehow have to make it fit."

Neville said Maroune Fellaini, who joined United during David Moyes' tenure, had been the main problem for United and made life difficult for midfield partner Ander Herrera as Chelsea established a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to early goals from Pedro and Gary Cahill.

"I think one of the things that was different for United compared to Monday night [against Liverpool] was they had control in the midfield, with Fellaini and Herrera alongside each other," he added.

"Fellaini played so high in the game today. I am not sure if that was something he was told to do, but it just didn't work. It meant he was detached from Herrera, who seemed to be exposed, and for United it was not a good 45 minutes.

"I know Fellaini has had a lot of stick over the last couple of seasons with people saying he is not a Manchester United player, and it is obvious to see his lack of quality in certain areas, but I thought today he was really poor.

"In the first half he had a really terrible game and it was no surprise he came off, and I think Herrera dropped a level after being brilliant at Anfield."

The result leaves United seventh in the table but Neville said former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss Mourinho should be trusted to turn things around.

"There will be a massive over-reaction to the game, Jose Mourinho will come under huge pressure and it will be ramped up ahead of the derby on Wednesday," Neville said. "I am quite relaxed.

"When you are a Manchester United fan for 30 years, for 50 years, you are going to have difficult times like these and you have to accept when they come along and be mature about it.

"They have got a fantastic manager who has been proven in every league in Europe nearly, and they have to allow him to do his job methodically over the next two to three years, get it right.

"There has been some poor management, some poor recruitment decisions and there have been players signed who are not Manchester United players. I am not talking about talent, I am talking about profile.

"Pogba and [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic are more Manchester United players in my mind in terms of personality and the physical aspect, so I do think ultimately Mourinho is on the right track in terms of recruitment.

"They have got to continue to do that and they have got to move away some of the previous, which will be difficult because they are on big contracts, but he doesn't panic in the transfer market."

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