Paul Pogba match review – Manchester United 2 Southampton 0

Paul Pogba match review – Manchester United 2 Southampton 0

0
SHARE

World-record signing Paul Pogba made his long awaited Old Trafford bow since returning to the club, featuring heavily in a 2-0 win against Southampton.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic decided the contest with two goals either side of half time, helped greatly by Pogba’s use at the base of midfield with licence to roam forward.

Performance summary

In the first half, Jose Mourinho opted to use the Frenchman in a slightly withdrawn midfield role, usually operating from the inside left channel. National team coachDidier Deschamps used the 23-year-old in a similar fashion against Portugal at Euro 2016, albeit with far less effectiveness. While Pogba in a deeper role is designed to draw the opponents’ midfield out, Paolo Sousa’s men remained deep, while in this instance, Southampton looked to engage as is their pressing style.

In possession, Pogba mainly operated from the left of midfield – linking up with French compatriot Anthony Martial and full-back Luke Shaw. In defensive transition, his discipline was such that Eric Bailly and Daley Blind were not caught 1v1 against the pace of Shane Long or Nathan Redmond, as Pogba sat ahead of the back four to close the space.

Questions were raised over his fitness after a slow start to the second period, but the 23-year-old sprung to life on the hour mark as United looked to find a killer third goal. Find a third goal, United did not, but this game never looked remotely likely to end as anything other than a home win with Pogba instrumental.

On this day, there was to be no cutting edge, virtuoso performance from the Frenchman, but in what looks to be a highly functional Manchester United led by Jose Mourinho, one feels that his best is yet to come.

Half time stats

Pogba completed five dribbles, amassed four interceptions, one key pass and one shot on target with a 78% pass completion (34/43 passes found their man).

pogba passing southampton 1st half
Paul Pogba first half passing graphic. 78% completion, one key pass. Image via Squawka.com

Full time stats

By the end, Pogba made three tackles, three shots, five interceptions, 11 take-ons and completed 67 passes (83% pass completion) with two considered key.

In total, Pogba had 103 touches of the ball over the course of the match. The next United player had 74.

Match rating – 8.5

The aforementioned Ibrahimovic stole the show with a classy brace, but it was Pogba’s drive and quality in possession that drove United relentlessly forward with reckless abandon not seen since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Pogba’s confidence also made those around him noticeably grow in stature. Wayne Rooney’s performance behind Ibrahimovic was solid, albeit unspectacular, and could only have occurred had Pogba not consistently drawn the Southampton midfield out to create space for those in more naturally advanced positions. As Mourinho looked to shut the game down in the final 15 minutes, as is his custom, the 23-year-old’s highlights appeared only sporadically but the job was all but done at that point.

Magnificent debut performance and one that will make the whole of Europe take notice.

What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.