How Maurine dealt with Pogba’s absence in the past
Manchester United cannot become a one-man team. And they have tried proving they aren’t when Pogba has been absent this season. However, the record-signings performance against Arsenal was a privilege to watch. A performance that would have fitted the counter-attacking system that Mourinho deployed against City on Sunday. A performance that no other player at the club can currently deliver.
In an away trip to Southampton and at home to Crystal Palace, Marouane Fellaini came in for Pogba. His late arrivals at the back post met with an Ashley Young cross is a recipe for a certain goal. This was the case against Palace, and similarly against Southampton, Lukaku this time pounced on a Young cross.
Mourinho clearly didn’t trust the team had the same creativity without Pogba, so he went more direct. It worked because we were able to play in their half of the pitch. We had a left back with as good a delivery from wide areas as anyone in the league. And a 6’4″ nutter who would run through a brick wall to get on the end of those deliveries.
When we came up against sides where we would have to sit behind the ball and be patient to wait for the counter, Pogba’s skill and athleticism were missed dearly.