Paul Pogba as a new signing for Manchester United as the French midfielder burst into tears during the Burnley draw

The term ‘as a new signing’ is pathetically overused these days, but it would be apt for Paul Pogba, who has returned from a three-month injury break to establish himself as a new player. form the midfield of Manchester United.

It could easily be said, given United’s disappointing results in his return game, that Pogba’s influence has made little difference, but that would be a lazy view.

While his introduction to Middlesbrough wasn’t enough to keep the Reds in the FA Cup and it couldn’t keep them from dropping points against relegation-threatened Burnley, Pogba’s presence was felt on each occasion. deployment.

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Manchester United have been in disarray during Pogba’s absence, with Ralf Rangnick making numerous tactical changes to find the right formula for success. What he missed was a World Cup winning midfielder next door.

Pogba’s first two performances back were very different, but both were crucial to the club’s success. Against Middlesbrough, Pogba was deployed deeper, alongside Scott McTominay in the six-man duo behind Bruno Fernandes. He was less likely to advance and create, but his defense was on full display.

Paul Pogba vs Middlesbrough defensive stats:

8 ball recoveries
7 ground matches won
3 interceptions pic.twitter.com/2IQRqzOQeI

– Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 7, 2022

Pogba was excellent against Middlesbrough in his defining role, 49/57 passing and hitting four of his five long balls, while succeeding in all three dribbles and three out of four tackles. air dispute. He lost possession only 16 times out of 80 touches.

In the match against Burnley, Pogba was placed higher on the pitch, this time alongside Bruno Fernandes in a double eight. In the incessant Lancashire rain, the French player had a steady presence. His first-half goal highlighted the afternoon, one of the world’s best players at tracking an attacking move and having a sixth sense for drifting into open space.

1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED!

Luke Shaw finds Paul Pogba to open the scoring.

📺: @USA_Network pic.twitter.com/5bAw1EcnJ8

– NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 8, 2022

While that moment marked his stellar performance, that goal wasn’t his only contribution of the game. Up and down the pitch, Pogba is a vocal leader, pointing at open players for teammates to pass and acting as a playmaker.

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His temper was tested in a thunderous run through midfield that forced Josh Brownhill to wrestle him off the ball, prompting the Burnley man to receive a yellow card and watch Pogba throw the armband. his boss in a furious rage. That moment shows Pogba’s contributions and Burnley’s efforts in reducing their actual return rate.

Pogba’s composure from the game reflects his more reckless attacking mentality. In 74 touchdowns, Pogba delivered a 72% pass success rate (43/59) and won only 4 out of 11 disputes on the ground, but he was an aerial player, winning 7/ 10 air duels. He lost possession of the ball 21 times, many of them coming to an extreme as United threw caution into the wind and tried to win.

With 10 minutes left, the injury to holding midfielder McTominay forced Pogba back into a more defensive role, and he was unable to continue to have an impact up front as United failed to find a goal.

Pogba cannot do both. Ralf Rangnick will need to decide which role suits the Frenchman better, and which role Manchester United need most. His defense is assured, and his creative aggression is relentless, yet Pogba is just a footballer.

Dropping points from the lead against a team threatened with relegation is a poor result no matter how the game turns out. However, it will never be easy for Manchester United against Burnley, a club fighting for survival in the Premier League and having an extremely solid defence. Neither this disappointing result nor his exit from the FA Cup has diminished the prominence of the quality Pogba has brought to the Red Devils side.

Paul Pogba scored his first Premier League goal since January 2021.

The drought it ended. 😅 pic.twitter.com/ND0f71D851

– Soccer Squawka (@Squawka) February 8, 2022

Pogba’s stellar performance in a negative result once again highlights the noble task against Manchester United. The Frenchman’s contract expires this summer, and there is no indication of his intentions. With Mino Raiola at the top of the negotiations, money is always an important factor, but so is the Champions League game.

If United are unable to secure a place in the top four – their chances drop to just 15 per cent, according to FiveThirtyEight – there is a good chance that Pogba will leave, with PSG rumored to take the lead. Ralf Rangnick may be the interim coach, but he could leave a lasting mark on the club based on the results of the rest of the season. Failure to keep Pogba at Old Trafford would be a failure of epic proportions.