Paul Pogba fails to earn Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ‘trust’ as Man Utd draw with Atalanta

Atalanta v Manchester United: Match in Pictures

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The pressure has piled back on the shoulders of Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his side drew 2-2 with Atalanta in the Champions League. Midfielder Paul Pogba was brought back into the starting line-up for the tie, and his performance might leave some of the United management questioning why a contract extension offer has been on the table since last summer.

Atalanta looked to have secured a memorable all three points before Mason Greenwood flicked the ball into the path of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo who fired a inch-perfect volley into the far corner and in off the post.

Duvan Zapata had given his side the lead for the second time in the 56th minute after the Colombian beat the offside trap before scooping his effort over the helpless David De Gea.

But the Spanish shot-stopper should’ve done a lot better when he let Josip Ilicic’s strike squeeze underneath his in the 12th minute following good work from Zapata down the left wing.

United had drawn level on the stroke of half-time through Ronaldo after he tucked home a quick, slick counter-attack after being teed up by a neat backheel from Bruno Fernandes to give the Red Devils the momentum heading into the second half.

Defeat against Manchester City at the weekend will lead many to believe that Solskjaer could be shown the door, and if that is the case then some supporters will be disappointed to have now missed out on Antonio Conte after he became Tottenham manager on Tuesday.

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The draw will certainly raise questions about why Red Devils were so poor for most of the game but still showed quality in brief moments, and Pogba’s display in midfield will also give Solskjaer a decision to make if he is still in the dugout at Old Trafford in January.

Returning to the starting line-up as a more defensive-minded midfielder in United’s new 3-4-1-2 system, the Frenchman looked incredibly shaky in the first half. He lost two duels and headed into halftime with a questionable 78% passing accuracy, and he would’ve been directly at fault for a goal if it wasn’t for a sensational block from Eric Bailly.

Having only been out the team for just one match – serving a ban for his straight red card against Liverpool – Pogba looked very leggy in midfield and as if he was returning to the team after a year out rather than a week.

After 38 minutes, Solskjaer was forced to shift back to his 4-2-3-1 formation after Raphael Varane was forced off with injury and replaced by right-winger Mason Greenwood.

However, the switch didn’t change Pogba’s role as a deeper midfielder and he continued to disappoint in the second half with misplaced passes and aimless runs.

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Ahead of the game, Rio Ferdinand called for the £80million-man to step up to the occasion and earn his manager’s trust again – but the Frenchman endured a miserable match.

The ex-defender said: “We want to see a disciplined performance from Pogba. He’s got huge talent and Seeing and watching the performance at the weekend there’s pressure so he will have to play the role he’s been given and earn that trust again.”

However, after being substituted in the 69th minute for Nemanja Matic despite Scott McTominay being on his final warning having booked, it would suggest that Solskjaer was unimpressed.

The former Juventus midfielder is out of contract next year and he is yet to agree on an extension.

Pogba and his agent, Mino Raiola, are thought to be considering their options, with Juve, PSG and Real Madrid all interested in securing the 2018 World Cup winner’s signature in the new year.

But his performance may have been enough to put off some potential suitors, with Paul Scholes claiming that if Ronaldo didn’t score the equaliser then Solskjaer would have replaced the midfielder at the interval, he said: “There were a lot of mistakes in that first half.

“Paul Pogba won’t be enthralled with his performance and has given the ball away a lot and that goal has kept him on the for the second half.”

It remains to be seen whether Solskjaer pushes Pogba for a decision on his future, or whether he decides that his squad can take a step forward without the midfielder and sells him in January.

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