José Mourinho denied Paul Pogba’s drop in form is a hangover from the serious hamstring injury he suffered in September, with Manchester United’s manager saying the £89m midfielder should be asked the reason why he is struggling.
Mourinho also said he expects Luke Shaw to still be at United next season, despite substituting the defender at half-time in the win over Brighton before the international break and again criticising the left-back’s display.
Pogba suffered the hamstring problem early in the first half of the 3-0 win over Basel in the Champions League on 12 September. He had been in fine form until then but since his return for the 4-1 victory over Newcastle in November, the 25-year-old has laboured.
While Pogba was dropped and an unused replacement against Brighton, Mourinho dismissed the suggestion the player’s continued omission was because of any lingering effects of his spell out.
“It’s nothing to do with his injury,” Mourinho said. “His recovery was good. He is very fine after the injury. It was a difficult injury, it was an injury that other players, other clubs, other medical assessments – they end in surgery, his option with the medical opinions was not to go to the surgery table and his recovery was really good. He is more than fine in relation to his recovery from the injury which is an area sometimes where you have a recurrence. In his case, not at all.”
Pressed on what the dip in form is down to, Mourinho said: “Ask him when you get a chance.”
Pogba scored for France in their 3-1 friendly win in Russia on Tuesday, yet Mourinho refused to give an assessment of his display. “I don’t comment on my players’ performances in national teams,” he said.
Of Shaw still being at Old Trafford next season, Mourinho said: “I think so but I always say the door is open for everyone [to leave] so no problem for him, but I think so.”
Mourinho also confirmed Shaw is in the squad for Saturday’s home game against Swansea. “He’s selected, he’s in the 18,” the manager said.
Mourinho brushed off a report that claimed Shaw had challenged him regarding his substitution against Brighton. “You are saying he asked me why I changed him. That is what you are saying. A report that Luke asked me why I changed him? I told him [at the time]. He didn’t ask me the question – I told him.”
In January, Mourinho said Shaw was one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. “It’s true,” he said. “What happened since then? Nothing. I am the coach. I make the changes I want to do. If I want to change the player in minute five I change the player in minute five. If I want to change in minute 98 I change in minute 98. The moment when a new rule comes to football that forbids managers to do that then I become a pundit, not a manager. Nothing happened.”
