Manchester United fans are going crazy over Cristiano Ronaldo. And because of the Portuguese’s sensational return, some have overlooked Paul Pogba.
With Cristiano Ronaldo now on board, Manchester United looks set for a serious run for the long-awaited title this season.
As expected, the headlines were all about Ronaldo and he even put emphasis on his Manchester United comeback in the club’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle United this weekend.
The said match marked the second debut of Ronaldo at Old Trafford and while many have raved about his back-to-back goals, Paul Pogba’s performance was just as remarkable.
Some may have not noticed, but Pogba was the orchestrator of Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard’s goals that came after Ronaldo’s brace. The Frenchman’s pair of assists added to his impressive tally of five across Manchester United’s opening three English Premier League matches.
To date, Pogba has seven assists to his name, topping the said category for Manchester United in the current campaign.
Indeed, Ronaldo is expected to continue bagging goals for the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad this season and he has done it again by notching the club’s only goal during the UEFA Champions League opener against Young Boys on Wednesday.
Hence, it was already anticipated that Pogba might have to take a step back a bit in terms of playing a significant role in Manchester United’s attack when Ronaldo arrives.
For evident reasons, the World Cup winner is likely to be demoted from one of the club’s attacking four positions in order to make room for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Despite the sudden change in his role, Pogba stressed that he doesn’t have any problem with Ronaldo coming in. In fact, he even sees it as an advantage.
“Everybody knows [what he brings],” Pogba said or Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United. “He’s already a legend at this club and he is coming back.”
“Obviously, it’s good for us, he’s going to bring his experience and quality,” he added. “When he comes, the level goes up.”
As it stands, and numbers back it up, it is becoming more and more apparent that Pogba will be Manchester United’s main playmaker this season.
With the club’s roster stacked with prolific strikers, there’s a great chance the 28-year-old will continue to improve his already magnificent assists tally.
However, Solskjaer insisted that he will not be paying any attention to Pogba’s numbers as he is well aware of the midfielder brings to the table.
“Paul [Pogba] has come back in good shape,” Solskjaer said in a pre-match press conference briefing ahead of the match against Young Boys via Goal. “He’s worked really hard over the summer. He’s come back lean and fit.”
“What does an assist consist of? A square pass to Bruno [Fernandes] and he puts it in the top corner? Or a great ball for Mason [Greenwood]?,” he emphasized. “Paul has always been a great passer and he’s not got assists from his best passes this season. I don’t pay attention to assists, it’s a social media thing. But Paul has played well for sure.”
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