Paul Pogba will keep his place in the Manchester United team to face Arsenal on Wednesday night.
But tension once more surrounds his relationship with Jose Mourinho following the weekend draw with Southampton. World Cup winner Pogba has come in for criticism for a lackadaisical display at St Mary’s, as United dropped points on the south coast.
And he was involved in a frank dressing room exchange with the United boss in the dressing room post game.
Mourinho labelled Pogba “a virus” – in full view of his teammates – and told him he showed a lack of respect toward his team-mates and fans with the nature of his performance.
According to the Reports, Mourinho told him: “You don’t play. You don’t respect players and supporters. And you kill the mentality of the good honest people around you.”
However, the Frenchman hit back at Mourinho with an attack of his own.
He told Mourinho that the manager’s tactics mean don’t allow United players freedom to express themselves and means he has few options to pass to when he gets on the ball.
And he decisively told Mourinho that he wouldn’t be made a scapegoat for United’s current problems.
Mourinho was very critical of United’s midfield once more in his post-game interviews.
When asked why his side struggled against Southampton, he told BT Sport: “I think because we lost so many balls in midfield. We lost so many balls in the last third it was difficult to have that continuity.
“I think that was the only reason.”
Mourinho has reportedly told United chiefs that there is nothing else he can do with Pogba also.
But amid an injury crisis that left Mourinho refusing to give the club’s in-house TV channel a fitness update on Tuesday, Pogba it is unfeasible that he will be dropped as he has been previously this year.