Former Manchester United player Paul Ince has claimed that Paul Pogba has suffered due to Alexis Sanchez’s arrival at Old Trafford.
The Chilean international was involved in a straight swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan leave to Arsenal in the January transfer window.
Although Sanchez is yet to light the world on fire since completing the transfer, he still has impressed with Pogba’s performances actually dipping.
The Frenchman was substituted in the losses to Tottenham and Newcastle and was benched for the win vs Huddersfield in the Premier League.
Ince is one of the pundits who believes there’s a direct correlation between the two and that the transfer explains everything that’s been going on with the club.
According to Express, Paul said to Paddy Power: “Pogba has suffered since the arrival of Sanchez, and should be aiming to be at his level.
“Since Alexis Sanchez joined the club Pogba’s confidence and mood seems to have gone in the opposite direction to earlier in the season. He looks like a totally different player.
“It’s probably due to the fact that pre-Sanchez, he was the main man. He was the kingpin and the one everyone was talking about. But the arrival of the Chilean has taken the shine off him.
“What I would say is, at Man United, you’re all main men. You should all perform like that, too.
“Looking at the Newcastle game, you could see from his body language that he’s fed up. Whatever it is, it’s a problem that needs addressing. The fact is, the way Alexis Sanchez played in that game, is exactly the level Pogba should be aiming at.”
Some fans though have a different point of view to the Paul conundrum as they believe it all has to do with tactics and not Alexis’ arrival.
The midfielder excelled in a three man midfield for his former team Juventus and United supporters want the club to accommodate him as such.
Some of Paul Pogba’s finest performances have come in a three man midfield with the recent match vs Everton springing to mind.
In a two man midfield the academy product is forced into respecting his tactical and defensive responsibilities, effectively shackling him from what he does best which is attacking.
A third midfielder would free up Pogba even further and give him true license to express himself and cause serious damage to opposition teams.
There are reports that Mourinho believes the same thing but is waiting until next season to switch tactics due to the lack of midfield quality this season.
