Solskjaer rules Pogba out of Newcastle trip

Paul Pogba is highly unlikely to play at Newcastle United on Sunday but Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested he could return to face Premier League rivals Liverpool.

Pogba was absent from the United squad that limped to a goalless draw with AZ in the Europa League on Thursday due to an ongoing foot injury.

He has been left out of the France squad by coach Didier Deschamps, who said the midfielder could be missing for three weeks.

That would leave Pogba a massive doubt for United’s key clash with league leaders Liverpool at Old Trafford on October 20.

United are already without Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones and asked if his injured stars could return to face struggling Newcastle this weekend, Solskjaer said: “Probably not, let’s see on Saturday morning, probably not.

“There’s an international break as well and that might be a time for us to give them 10-14 days extra to be ready for Liverpool.”

Diogo Dalot reacts to tonight’s game. #MUFC #UEL pic.twitter.com/orxI0GCsjF

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 3, 2019

Thursday’s stalemate in the Netherlands saw United fail to record a shot on target, with Solskjaer hoping to have avoided further injuries on an unfamiliar Astroturf surface.

“There’s a few backs hurting, it’s a hard surface, very hard, hopefully they’ll be okay,” he added.

“We’ll travel home and they’ll have a couple of days of recovery and be ready for Newcastle. No excuses whatsoever.”