Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has explained how midfielder, Paul Pogba reacted to being left on the bench against Sevilla in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
Ander Herrera was preferred to the Frenchman but came off injured early on, with Pogba entering the fray after 17 minutes.
Mourihno said, “You know in my pre-match interview with BT Sport in four questions, I had three about Paul and Paul was not even playing. That’s a bit strange
“And I think respecting you and your work, and I understand your question. But if I was one of you I would ask if the Manchester United manager agrees that Scott McTominay had a fantastic performance and my answer would be yes he had a fantastic performance.
“He looked a senior player, he looked a player with great maturity, with tactical sense, with a sense of responsibility, good in possession, good in the pressing
“I think Scott McTominay looked a man with dozens and dozens of matches in the Champions League when this is only the second one. But I also answer your question.
“I think Paul made a big effort to try to give the team what I ask the team. I started with Ander and Scott, I think a fantastic player like Banega wasn’t [allowed to be fantastic], because he didn’t have the space to be the Banega the world of football admires.
“And Paul replaced Ander. He tried to bring to the game the same kind of qualities, plus he has security with the ball. ‘Of course he lost a couple of possessions, but he gave us also stability – because we had a good percentage of ball possession for the way we play a match away from home against a good team like Sevilla.
“We had a good percentage of the ball and that means control of the game and I think Paul had responsibility on that. And I am also happy with Matic. So I think the three central midfield players had good control and Paul was part of that.”
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