Jose Mourinho hit out at the ‘lies’ surrounding his relationship with Paul Pogba and raged at the speculation surrounding his player.
Reports had claimed the duo had clashed in recent weeks, with some suggesting he regretted returning to Old Trafford from Juventus, but Mourinho insisted that the only issue has been Pogba’s below par form in recent weeks.
And he took aim at the speculation surrounding the France international.
‘I think you are nice with your words because when you say a lot of speculation you should say a lot of lies because I accept and can speak on Paul’s behalf without any kind of problem.
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‘Paul accepts he has not been playing well but that’s all and if you want to speak about it that’s one thing and speculation your words makes a little bit of sense but the majority of things you can read and listen, don’t be polite, be objective and say lies.
‘I don’t have to speak with you about my conversations with my players, is my problem, the player’s problem, a big lie that our relation is not good, that we don’t communicate, 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 didn’t play well period, end of story, now it’s my problem and Paul’s to improve his performance level, you don’t need to be a liar.’
Many have questioned whether Pogba was struggling due to being played in the wrong position, but Mourinho blasted that talk as ‘bull***t’.
He added: ‘The position is quite ridiculous to speak about it because I think we have I don’t want to be – what’s the opposition of nice – I don’t want to be nasty with other countries punditry industry but we have here a number here the biggest pundit industry because there are hundreds of them with great background and knowledge in football and I would like somebody to tell me which position you think Pogba played in against Newcastle. Any one of you want to tell me?
‘Okay midfield, but we played with one number six and numbers eights, or two six and one 10, we play with one six and two eights, we play with Matic as a six, Lingard on the right side of Matic and Pogba on the left side, you know which is the Pogba preferred system? 433? “Do you know Pogba’s favourite position in 433?
‘Eight on the left, so it’s easy and honest and objective to say Paul didn’t play well against Newcastle but some of the guys are paid millions, don’t let people read things that are not true, you are paid to read the game and explain the game, don’t say bull****.’
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