Saturday’s Manchester derby between City and United was always going to be full of drama. However, I doubt many expected City to go two goals up, only for United to come back and win 3-2.
The Red Devils win means that City will have to wait another week at least to win the title. A key player in United’s comeback was club-record signing Paul Pogba, who in the space of ten second-half minutes changed the game with a brace. Chris Smalling completed the comeback with a 69th-minute winner. City are still 13 points clear at the top of the table and odds of 1/5000 to seal the Premier League title.
A Jekyll and Hyde display
Pogba’s display was a Jekyll and Hyde one. In the first half, he was almost non-existent. Summarisers to for the game for Sky Sports Craig Bellamy and Graeme Souness both agreed that Pogba could have been hooked at half-time.
However, by grief, it was a good job he was not replaced at the break. His second-half performance was the midfielder at his best, getting into the opposition box and making a difference.
In terms of difference, he could hardly have made more of a difference. His brace against the Citizens was his first goals in ten games for United against the so-called ‘Big six’. In reality, he looked like a different player in the second half. It was as if a different Paul Pogba came out for the second half. Fans have not seen enough of the second half Pogba in a United shirt.
Enjoyed a mixed time at Manchester United
Paul Pogba is a flamboyant character, to say the least. That is part of his personality and characters in football are rare these days. His frequently changing hairstyles and social media activity do him no favours at all when times are tough.
Pogba has found it tough to find form of late for the Red Devils. United boss Jose Mourinho has even resorted to leaving the French out of his starting line-up at times in recent months to get a reaction from the player.
Such was his struggles at United that there was speculation he could leave United in the near future. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola also recently stated that Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola had offered the Citizens the chance to sign Pogba.
When he is in form, Pogba is a sublime footballer, a joy to watch. He can be one of the best midfielders in the world. However, he can only do that if he is deployed in the right way. The former Juventus star looked like he played with the shackles off in the second half against City. For much of his United career, Mourinho has wanted him to play roles that do not bring the best out of him.
At Juventus, Pogba became such an attacking threat from midfield. He was such an influential figure for the Bianconeri, which is what earned him a move to Old Trafford.
Pogba could be an influential figure for years to come
When Manchester United splashed out a then-record fee of around £89.3million to sign the midfielder in 2016, it was with a view to the Frenchman helping the club to regain their place at the top of the English football tree.
The Red Devils have moved forward in the last two years under Mourinho. However, as previously mentioned Pogba has not always been at the centre of United’s perceived development. Paul Pogba is still just 25 years of age and can improve in the future, with the right management and right attitude. The French midfielder has all the potential attributes to produce on a more consistent basis.
Pogba still has the potential to become a highly influential. The brace against Manchester City could well turn out to be the turning point for Pogba’s Manchester United career.
Could City brace be a turning point for Paul Pogba?
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