Former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick has disagreed with fellow former Reds star Patrice Evra over his comments about criticism being aimed at midfielder Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman, who is currently sidelined through injury, is out-of-contract at United at the end of the season and it is becoming increasingly unlikely that he will put pen to paper on a new deal and commit his future to the club.
The likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been heavily linked with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner in recent months, but it does remain to be seen where he could be playing his football next season.
Having blown hot and cold throughout his second spell at Old Trafford since returning to the club from Juventus in 2016, Pogba has often come under strong levels of scrutiny, particularly from former players and pundits, which, at times, has been justified.
However, former United defender and fellow Frenchman Evra has accused some critics of going in "too personal," something that he is not a fan of.
Speaking in a Q&A, Evra said: "I think some of the old legends can sometimes go in too personal on him, which I don’t like.
"He's a great guy."
Despite Evra suggesting that some of the criticism towards Pogba has been too heavy handed, Chadwick, who played for United between 1997 and 2004, has admitted that players like Pogba will always have the spotlights shone on them even brighter because of their status within the game and the qualities they are capable of producing.
"I think players like Pogba come under the microscope a bit more because they are world, world-class players," Chadwick told CaughtOffside.
"If you’re the big name in the team and you’re not performing, you're going to be picked up on it more than some of the lesser players. If you're a Cristiano Ronaldo, a Lionel Messi or a Neymar, it's more noticeable when they’re not playing well because they're top players.
"So I think it comes with the territory a bit, when you're Paul Pogba and you've excelled at World Cups, won the World Cup, when you're not performing at those levels it does get picked up on. Obviously every player wants to be loved and praised, but it's a case of earning it and it’s up to you to perform at the highest level to receive that praise.
"I know I've watched games when he’s played incredibly well and the pundits on the television have given him the praise he deserves. When he doesn't play well he can get a bit more criticism, but he’s one of the top players, and it’s more noticeable when one of the top players hasn’t played well.
"I don’t think it helps that Pogba's agent comes out and says things, it looks bad for the player, but that’s his representation and that’s the way it goes.
"When Pogba's at his very best he's right up there with the very best in the team, but his consistency hasn't been what you'd expect."
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