Jose Mourinho hits out at media for ‘bulls***’ and ‘lies’ about his relationship with Paul Pogba at Manchester United
Reports in France claimed that their relationship has deteriorated over the course of the season, but the United manager launched an angry response to the claims
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Your support makes all the difference.Furious Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at speculation that his relationship with midfielder Paul Pogba has deteriorated as "lies", and labelled claims he is playing him in the wrong position as "bulls***".
French newspaper L’Equipe claim Pogba is unhappy with the more defensive role has been asked to perform by Mourinho recently.
Pogba has struggled for form in the last few weeks and Mourinho has substituted the 24-year-old in two of United’s last three matches.
But the Portuguese angrily hit back at suggestions of any kind of breakdown in relations between him and the France international.
He said: “I think you are nice with your words, because when you say ‘a lot of speculation’ you should say ‘a lot of lies’.
“I accept and I can speak on Paul’s behalf without any kind of problem. Paul accepts that he has not been playing well in the last few matches but that's all.
“And if you want to speak about it, then that is one thing and your word speculation maybe makes a bit of sense.
“But the majority of things you can read and listen, don't be nice, be objective and say 'lies'.
“I don't have to speak with you about my conversations with my players. I don’t have to tell you anything about it.
“It's my problem, it’s the player’s problem. It’s a big lie that the relation is not good, a big lie that we don’t communicate, a big lie that we don't agree with his positions and his involvement in the dynamic of the team.
“So be objective and say what we all know. In the last couple of matches he did not play well. Period. End of story. Now it is my problem and Paul’s problem to deal with it and to try to improve his performance levels. To go around it you don't need to be liar.”
Mourinho also claimed there was no disagreement between him and Pogba about the player’s position on the pitch as he again rounded on those in the media who have questioned how the player is used.
“Do you know which is the Pogba preferred system? 4-3-3. Do you know which is Pogba’s favourite position in the 4-3-3? No.8 on the left,” Mourinho said.
“I would like someone to tell me in which position Pogba played against Newcastle. Does one of you want to tell me?
“We played with one no.6 and two no.8s. We played with Matic as a no.6, Lingard on the right side of Matic and Pogba on the left.
You are paid to read the game, to explain people the game, don't say bulls***
“So it's easy and honest, and objective to say Paul Pogba did not play well against Newcastle.
“But some of the guys are paid millions and don't let people read things that are not true. You are paid to read the game, to explain people the game, don't say bulls***.”
The United manager confirmed Pogba will be selected for United’s FA Cup fifth-round tie with Huddersfield Town on Saturday evening.
Mourinho believes Pogba’s difficulties in overcoming hamstring and thigh injuries sustained in September last year have contributed to his struggles this season.
“He had a big injury in the season, a big injury,” Mourinho explained. “He was out for a long, long time. And in this moment he is not playing well, period. He is not playing well, period. And the team needs him at a good level.
“And when he is not playing at a good level the team is not as good as the team can be. I think it happens with every team when the best players, the most crucial players, for some reason are not performing. Period.”
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