Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Paul Pogba produced a 'sloppy' performance in Manchester United's disappointing draw with Southampton.
Daniel James gave United a 10th-minute lead but Jannik Vestergaard levelled in the second-half to earn a point for 10-man Southampton, who had Kevin Danso sent off.
Pogba was particularly poor in a wasteful United side that again failed to break down a reticent rearguard. The France international regularly ceded possession with his errant passing and Pogba was dispossessed time and again.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane publicly flirted with Pogba earlier this year and, ahead of the European transfer deadline on Monday, said: "Until Monday everything can happen. One surprise, two surprises. But the important thing is tomorrow’s game."
Solskjaer has defended Pogba staunchly since he took over as United manager in December but, in a departure from the norm, conceded the Frenchman under-performed at St Mary's.
"I think we as a team after about half-an-hour started giving sloppy balls away and Paul was one of them," Solskjaer said. "He wasn't any different to anyone else.
"We as a team didn't play well but in the last 20 minutes or half-an-hour he did create loads for us going forward. Everyone expects everything from him every game, he has to defend, he has to attack, he has to win headers, he has to dribble past people, he has to make passes. That's just Paul and he'll thrive on that. And he got a bad knock on his ankle."
When Zidane's comments were mentioned to Solskjaer ahead of the European transfer deadline, he reiterated: "Paul Pogba will be playing for us.
"He twisted his ankle, I think, but he'll go away and hopefully it's not too bad and he can play for France because I know how much he loves his country and playing for them."
